The Misfits
by Tattered-Petals
Summary: Spencer Reid expected a lot of things going into boarding school. But, what he didn't expect was a mission of self-discovery, developing friendships. Oh, and getting thrust into the middle of a mystery. Major AU!
1. Chapter 1

Spencer Reid got out of his Father's car and cast a desperate glance in his direction. He stood outside of what he was nearly positive would wind up being the worst experience of his life. Boarding school. His Father had decided to send him to boarding school. Spencer shouldn't have been surprised, really. His Father never had much tolerance for him and since...

He couldn't bring himself to think of it, that thought was strictly off limits.

"Here are the rest of your things," ihs Father,William Reid, told him as he handed him another suitcase. Spencer was a tiny boy, much too small for his age, and the weight of his suitcases nearly caused him to tip over. William Reid looked his son up and down. "Good," he declared with a nod of approval.

Spencer looked at his Father, misery was the most readable expression on his face. William Reid sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair. He hadn't a clue what to say to his son. "Spencer...I...it'll be alright." He tried to smile down at him. Spencer just continued to look up at him with despair. "This is a smart school for smart kids! You'll fit right in!" The same kicked puppy look. "Maybe they'll actually even put you back in your correct grade level."

"You mean they'll let me graduate today?" Spencer snipped. He should have graduated high school, but his Father was intent not to allow it. He felt Spencer would lose valuable lessons if he went into college too fast. Deep down, Spencer just thought his Father felt it would draw too much attention to them, which would have drawn attention to his Mother.

"Don't." William Reid held up a warning finger to his son. "Don't start with that, Spencer. I allowed you to skip two grades, and I already believe it to have been a mistake."

Spencer could have brought up the same arguments he always used. He could have argued it tooth and nail, right there, in the parking lot. He could have caused a scene. He could have smashed his things onto the ground and declared how he was not going to stay at that boarding school. ...but he didn't. Instead, he just hung his head, and nodded.

"That's my boy." William sounded relieved and placed a gentle, hesitant hand on Spencer's shoulder. "You'll do fine, Spencer," his Father assured him. Spencer felt his eyes well up with tears.

"You must be the Reids!" A woman approached them. She had short trimmed blonde hair, polished, and poised. She was well dressed, head held high. To put it plainly, she was so prim it was terrifying.

"Yes, Ma'am!" William quickly stuck out his hand, and the woman shook it. "You must be Erin Strauss, I believe I spoke to you on the phone!"

"Indeed you did." Erin nodded and shook William's hand firmly. "This must be your son, Spencer." She turned to look at the boy, and seemed as though she were sizing him up. Spencer shrunk back. She then stuck out her hand to him, and his whole body froze and his eyes widened.

"My-uh-my hands are full." It was the perfect excuse, though it didn't stop his father's face from falling. But it didn't much matter to him. If his Father truly cared, he wouldn't be sending him away.

Erin Strauss looked at his various bags and nodded. "Indeed they are. I'll get one of your new roommates to help you with all that. You are to be sharing a room with two seniors. You will inform me or Mateo Cruz, who oversees your section, if they cause any trouble." Spencer nodded his head immediately.

"Well." William cast another smile towards Erin. "That should be my cue to go." He then looked at his son, who had been struggling to hold all of his things. Reid looked up at his Father with sadness, once again. "Be good, Spencer." With that, he turned to leave, ithout a word of affection, without a hug...nothing. He just left him there, got in his car, and drove off.

With immense sadness, Spencer watched the car go. He heard a deep sigh next to him, and looked up at Erin. She offered him a tight smile. "It's hard, I'm aware. But you'll enjoy it here."

Spencer highly doubted that.

"Ms. Strauss?" He heard the voice of some other boy sound from behind him. He turned to see a tall, serious looking boy. "You wanted to see me?"

"Ah, Aaron." She nodded. "This," She gestured to Spencer, "Is Spencer Reid. He'll be rooming with you. He needs some help with his things."

"Can see that." Aaron walked over and took one of the larger suitcases from Spencer. "Too bad you didn't send Morgan," he told Erin, "He could have taken all of these with one arm."

"I don't exactly consider him a part of the welcome committee." Erin sniffed. Aaron looked at her in surprise.

"Yet you consider me part of it?" he asked in disbelief.

Erin rolled her eyes. "Out of the two of you? I'm taking the lesser of two evils." Spencer's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. That wasn't comforting. "I'll be going about, now. I have duties to attend to." Strauss looked at Spencer once again. "Come get me if they cause trouble." With that, she left. Spencer stood still and terrified as he watched after her.

Aaron snorted. "She doesn't really know much about how to make people feel welcome." He looked at Spencer, almost sympathetically. "We're really not all bad. She just has high standards." With that, Aaron walked away with most of Spencer's things, he looked back at the boy, who he had expected to follow him, and inclined his head towards the door. Spencer's eyes widened, and he rushed to catch up.

~.~.~.~.~.

The staircase was much too high for Spencer's liking. Aaron looked at him, bemused. "They say they do it on purpose."

Spencer just nodded his head, still too nervous to say a word. Aaron raised an eyebrow at him. Something about Aaron's eyes had frightened him. Far too serious. Too analytical.

"What are you? A freshman?" Aaron asked him. Spencer whimpered when he saw another level of stairs.

He registered Aaron's question and shook his head in the negative. "No. Senior," he replied.

Aaron froze, and turned to look at him with disbelief. "There's no need to lie to me," he told him.

Spencer narrowed his eyes. "I'm not lying. I skipped two grades. I'd have skipped more but-." He stopped himself. Aaron continued to eye him analytically.

"But what?" The boy pressed.

"Nothing," Spencer shook his head. He wasn't going to spill his guts out to a boy he barely knew on the first day of school.

"Well," Aaron seemed to let it go, as they approached a door. "This is it." Spencer let out a breath of relief. Aaron opened the door, and Spencer walked into the room. It was nice. Probably would have been nicer if they weren't clothes and various other items tossed haphazardly around it. It almost took him a minute to notice two boys who were situated in the room. One looked to be of italian descent, and the other was mocha colored and had his earbuds in. He looked at Spencer, unimpressed.

"Spencer, this is David Rossi." Aaron gestured to the italian, who rose his hand in a half-wave. "He doesn't live in this room, but he can't seem to stay in his own. Then that's," He gestured to the other boy, "Derek Morgan."

"Don't' feel insulted by his rudeness," David told Spencer, as he cast a glance at Derek, who glared back at him. "He's too cool to be here, if you can't tell."

"Screw you." Derek snapped at him. David rolled his eyes and smirked, as did Aaron, who set Spencer's stuff down on the clean bed and sat on the ground next to David. Derek's eyes followed Spencer as he went to set things on his corner of the room. He cracked opened one suitcase, and a large amount of books spilled out.

"Damn." David looked at the books in surprise. "You like to read?"

Spencer nodded. He smiled as he held up one of the books, a favorite of his Mother's. She had given it to him, for when they wouldn't be near one another. She had promised him that as long as he kept the book by his side, that she would forever be there, with him.

"Do you talk?" Derek asked him. Spencer tore his eyes away from his book and looked at him in surprise.

"Cut him some slack, jackass." David whacked Derek's leg from his seated position in front of his bed. "He's been here for .2 seconds, and this is the first you've spoke."

Derek glared at him and kicked him in the back. It was more of a tap, really, not intended to do any damage, but David looked pissed by it, all the same. "Don't call me a jackass, you-."

"Both of you cut it out." Aaron rolled his eyes and looked at Spencer, who still clutched the book, except now he held it tight to his chest. "Strauss already has him terrified."

"Ah, don't be threatened by Strauss, kid." David waved his hand. "Trust me, that lion can be tamed." He winked at him. Spencer just gazed at him in confusion. He obviously had no idea what David meant.

"I still call bullshit to that story." Derek rolled his eyes. "There's no way, man."

"Dude, I'm telling you, she's totally into me. Could've expelled me a million times, but she didn't," David said proudly.

"You're a moron," Derek stated.

"You like a teacher?" Spencer gasped. It escaped him before he could stop himself. Derek looked at him, and Spencer scooted backwards in fear.

"How old are you, anyway?" Derek asked him. "You don't even look old enough to be here."

"Skipped two grades, kid's a senior," Aaron told him. Derek looked at him in disbelief, as did David. "Said he'd have gone further."

"Bullshit," Derek snorted. "You got two years ahead in boarding school, man. Don't try to oversell it."

Spencer narrowed his eyes. If there was one thing in the entire world that would get Spencer Reid mad, it was a shot at his intelligence. "I have an eidetic memory, an IQ of 187 and can read 20,000 words per-minute," he snapped at him. "I don't need to sell anything." He instantly regretted his words. The boy was much more than simply twice his size, and he didn't seem to have a sunny disposition.

All of the three boys looked at him in shock. "What the hell," Derek was the first to speak, "Is an eidetic memory."

Spencer rolled his eyes, of course they wouldn't know what it was. He'd go the simple route of explaining, he decided. "It's almost like a photographic memory," He explained. "Almost. The definition of eidetic is 'relating to or denoting mental images having unusual vividness and detail, as if actually visible.'." He explained.

"So what?" David asked him. "You remember everything you see?"

Spencer shrugged. "Just about."

"That sucks," Derek said. Aaron and David looked at him disbelief. 'Dude!' David cried out. "What?! Who the hell wants to remember all the shit they see?! He'll never forget this place for the rest of his life."

"It's alright," Spencer replied. It was weird. No one had ever said it like it was a bad thing before. "It means I also remember every book I've ever read," he said cheerfully.

"Then why the hell did you bring so many?" David asked. His eyes traveled to the overflowing bag of books.

Spencer just shrugged his shoulders, not intent on answering the questions. He hated meeting people. He shouldn't have said a word about his intelligence, but it would be a lie to say that he hadn't been irritated by people who didn't believe him. His Father had held him back from advancing in school, so he was forced to be looked at as less than who he was. He was too far advanced for his classes, and they bored him to tears.

"Hey, name's Spencer, right?" David asked him. Spencer looked back at them and nodded. "Got a last name?"

"Reid," Spencer answered. David chuckled, and Spencer looked at him curiously.

"Reid likes to read," David stated. Derek and Aaron groaned.

"You suck, man," Derek complained and whacked David, who had been laughing, on the back of his head.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Thank Christ for the school being co-ed." Derek sighed as he loosened his tie. They were on their way to the start-of-the year party. "Can you imagine how much it would suck if it were guys only?"

"Yeah, then Aaron couldn't make eyes at his girl from across the room," David teased. Aaron glared at him. Spencer just merely trailed behind, listening in to the conversation. He learned it was always better to not interact.

"Please, says the guy who is making eyes at Strauss," Derek replied in disgust. His nose was wrinkled as he looked at David. "You're just nasty, man."

"Oh? I'm nasty? You've been with most of the entire female population at this school," David replied. Spencer raised his eyebrows. He wasn't entirely surprised. Derek did strike him as...well...the type.

"At least the girls I've screwed haven't been nearing menopause," Derek shot back at him.

"Ha, just another month you'd have to wait," David said with a sly grin. Aaron looked back at Spencer, and rolled his eyes as he inclined his head towards the two guys. Spencer smiled back at him.

"Why wait?" Derek split into a cheshire cat type grin. "Doesn't bother me."

"UGH!" David groaned and covered his mouth. "You're disgusting!"

Spencer furrowed his brow, but then when he realized what they had been referring to his eyes had widened and he let out a surprised gasp. All three boys stopped and looked back at him. Spencer flushed bright red and rubbed his arm shyly.

"Good job, asshole. You just scarred the poor kid for life." David smacked Derek in the arm.

"You're the one talking about trying to seduce Strauss!" Derek defended himself, and whacked David back. "Besides, the kid's like, what? Turning sixteen? Not like this stuff is new. Kid has a Mom." Spencer flinched at that, and Derek must have caught it out of the corner of his eye, because he turned to look at Spencer. His eyes widened, and he actually looked apologetic. "Oh" is all he managed to get out.

"God, dude, look what you did! You suck!" David also looked sympathetic, but he was focusing a glare on Derek. Spencer was pretty sure what idea they had, and he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Come on, Spencer," Aaron walked a few paces behind to grab the boy's arm. He gently pulled him ahead, so they boy walked beside him. "Just ignore them. Party will be fun."

Spencer kept his eyes trained on the ground. He didn't like parties. He was never invited to one. He hadn't a clue what that party would even be like. "I've never even been to a school dance," he told Aaron. The older boy looked down at him and smirked.

"Just don't drink the punch." David reached into his pocket and subtly pulled out a flask. He raised an eyebrow. "Or chug it. Depends on what you like." He winked at him.

"How do you even sneak that stuff into here?" Derek asked David in astonishment.

David grinned at him and winked. "I have connections," he said simply.

"Yeah, man, I heard about your supposed 'connections,' but I highly doubt they're sneaking booze into your boarding school," Derek replied. Spencer frowned, he didn't know what Derek meant by David's "connections."

Aaron noted Spencer's confused expression and smiled. "Don't pay any attention to them, Spencer. Don't try to understand it, either. You'll exhaust yourself."

"Oh, don't try to act so prissy, Aaron." David rolled his eyes. "You used to be fun."

"Yeah." Aaron nodded his head. "Then I grew up."

"No," David disagreed. "Then you met a nice little good girl and decided to earn your scouts badge." Derek snorted.

"Hey," Derek chuckled, he eyed Spencer up and down, and Spencer shrunk away from him. "Wait 'till Penelope gets a load of the kid."

"Oh God," both of the other two boys groaned. "Rest in peace, kid," David told him.

Spencer wondered what on earth his Father had gotten him into.

~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had been forced to recite most of an episode of Doctor Who for Penelope Garcia. The bubbly blonde had seemed excited to meet him, and had been even more excited when she heard of his "talents" and the fact that he was a fan of the Doctor. When he'd told her he'd actually gotten his hands on a signed script from the show, and could recite the entire thing, she had forced him to prove it. Randomly the blonde had cut him off with a squeal and a huge hug.

"I love him!" she declared. "He stays!"

Derek chuckled and threw back another glass of punch. He had thrown his arm around Penelope, and was watching as some kids got much more wasted than they should, and as the teachers struggled to find out the cause.

"Morons," Emily Prentiss snorted as she watched the scene unfold. "Seriously. Kids randomly getting drunk and the first thing you suspect isn't the punch?"

"Strauss is tied up," David pointed out. "She won't be able to sniff it out for at least another thirty minutes."

"That is unless Gideon gets a whiff of it." Emily inclined her head, and they all turned to see Jason Gideon approaching the party. It was all happening outside, with tables set up. The weather was still nice enough for it. "This isn't gonna be pretty."

"David, you might wanna hide the evidence," Derek hissed at him. "He's gonna know it was you."

David waved his hand dismissively. He then burst into a fit of laughter when one of the girls tripped over a walk and fell flat on her face. Her friends had rushed forward to try to help her get back onto her feet. "Ah let him."

"Seriously," Penelope whispered to him in concern. She had one arm still thrown around Spencer, who uncomfortably watched the scene unfold. "Get rid of it. Your parents are going to be really mad if you get kicked out."

"What are they gonna do? Send me to military school?" David snorted. He then, in a move that made everyone who he sat around either gasp or turn their head away, he took the flask out of his pocket and took a drink. "I wanna join the military anyway. No skin off my back."

"Dude, the military would be screwed if you joined," Derek told him. He had then looked amused, which caused Penelope to glare at him.

"Screw you, man. Military would be lucky to have me." He took another quick drink before he hid the flask back in his pocket. He looked towards the rest of them and groaned at their expressions. "What do you guys want me to do? Bury it?"

"Nearly nine million youths, ages 12 to 20, in this country report they have had alcohol in the past thirty days." Spencer informed David, who didn't seem at all impressed by the facts. "71% of kids drink because they're at a party."

"Yeah," David gestured to the scene around him and gave Spencer a look. "No shit, Sherlock."

"Hey!" Penelope shouted. "No need to be rude!"

"Oh great," Emily groaned and threw her head back. "Penelope's found herself a puppy."

"68% stop drinking because they have a run-in with the law," Spencer told him softly. David glared at him.

"So what? Show up on day one and you start lecturing me on my drinking?" He glared at Spencer, who shrunk away. He wished he hadn't opened his mouth. He always did, and it always got him in trouble.

"I-I wasn't try to-." He was cut off when he noticed David had once again removed the flask from his pocket, but this time he shoved it in Spencer's direction.

"Relax and take a drink," he ordered him. Spencer's eyes widened. Penelope gasped and Emily just groaned.

"Cut the shit, man." Derek pushed the hand with the flask in it down. "You're drunk."

"He needs to chill out," David told them. He kept his eyes trained on Spencer, who had begun to scoot away. He had hoped to, perhaps, escape the party altogether.

"What's happening?" Aaron asked as he walked over. He looked at the tense scene with his analytical eyes and a raised brow.

"David's trying to get the kid drunk," Derek told him. David glared at him, and Spencer continued slowly trying to escape.

"He's freaking lecturing me, Hotch," he spat out. He was obviously more drunk than he had planned to be. His moves were sluggish and his words had become slurred. "'Bout what happens to teenage drinkers and all that shit."

Aaron turned to look at Spencer, who looked properly terrified. Aaron actually smirked a bit at him. "Valiant effort," he informed the younger student, "But ultimately pointless." He took a seat next to the others.

"The hell you doing back over here?" Derek asked. His face then split into a smirk. "You strike out?"

Aaron glared at him, but ignored him. Derek laughed wildly. "Man, you totally struck out!" Aaron continued to ignore him.

"Oh," Penelope said softly. She placed a manicured hand on Aaron's shoulder sympathetically. "Don't worry, sweetie. She's just more dedicated to school. You'll get her," she assured him.

"Well." Emily stood up. "This has been fun, but I'm going to sneak off into the woods for a smoke," she told them.

"Oh no you don't!" Penelope grabbed the back of Emily's skirt and attempted to tug her back into her place. "You got busted last time and Strauss nearly sent you home."

The discussion, or really argument, between Emily and Penelope continued, but Spencer had been more focused on Aaron, who was intently focused on a pretty blonde. She was talking with her friends and drinking a bottle of water. She occasionally looked over to him, as well, which made him instantly look away. It was odd, Aaron hadn't really struck Spencer as the shy type. He seemed assertive enough.

Soon, a shadow was cast over the group, and they all looked up to be met with what looked to Spencer to be the man they had referred to as "Gideon." He was tall, his hair gray and thinned, and he didn't look amused. He crossed his arms and stared down David, who just smiled back up at him.

"Hiya, Gideon," he greeted pleasantly. His smile was sickeningly sweet, but there was nothing innocent about it. "Something I can do for you?"

"You can hand over your alcohol now, and therefore not have me report it, so that you can remain in school...or I can take you to Strauss and we can have a discussion with your parent," Jason informed him. His arms were still crossed over his chest, and his eyes were intent and serious. Spencer gulped and looked away. If he thought Aaron had an intense look to him, he looked like a puppy compared to Jason.

"You asking for an admission of guilt?" David asked him. He still was grinning up at Jason, who was still not amused. "I think I have the right to an attorney."

"You have five seconds before I take you to the office," Jason informed him. Penelope nudged David's shoulder, hard.

"One," Jason started slowly. David continued just to stare up at him, smirking.

"David," Aaron hissed at him. "Just hand it over."

"My attorney has spoken." David pulled the flask out of his pocket and handed it over to Jason, who had unfolded his arms to accept it. "But, this is not an admission of guilt. It was planted on me. I was framed. I knew not what I was doing."

"Yeah, right." Jason rolled his eyes. He reached out his other hand that didn't have the liquor in it, and tugged David to his feet. "You're spending the rest of the party in your room," he informed the boy, who looked at him in shock.

"What?! You said you'd let it slide!" David cried out in shock.

"I said I wouldn't contact your parents," Jason corrected him. "Never promised anything else." he reminded him. David glared at him, and was about to say something else, but next thing they knew there was a scream of horror.

Everyone turned to look at the cause of the scream, and gasped at what they saw. One of the girls was on the ground, her face was blue, she was trying to gasp for air, and her whole body was convulsing.

"No," David whispered quietly. Jason released him and rushed over. "Oh, God, no." David sunk down to the grass and put his head in his hands. "I didn't. I didn't."

"SOMEONE CALL 911! NOBODY TOUCH HER!" Jason called out. The teachers already had their phones out. "How much punch did she drink?!" Jason asked the girl who was next to her friend, who was still convulsing on the ground. She had long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She looked horribly shaken.

"She didn't drink any! It was spiked! She only had bottled water!" The blonde responded. David looked up from behind his hands and breathed out a sigh of relief. It wasn't his fault.

"OKAY! EVERYBODY BACK UP! NOBODY TOUCH THE GIRL!" Jason screamed and everyone took a few steps back, except the blonde, who was still crouched over her ailing friend, whose movements were growing fewer...until, she finally just lay there, motionless.

"Oh my god," Penelope gasped out in horror. Tears ran down her face, and the little makeup she wore ran with them. She covered her pale lips with her hand and gazed in horror. "She's dead."

There was utter silence, save for the sound of sobbing, as everyone gazed at the body of the dead girl. Her hair was a dark brown, her eyes empty, her lips parted open - a horrible picture to be forever painted in their memories.

Spencer had decided that day that Derek had been right. It really did suck to have an eidetic memory.

**Author's Note: **I hope you all enjoyed this! I know it's a little different, and that some of the characters seem a bit odd. But it's just because it's younger versions of them. I know some other team members haven't appeared yet, but just stay tuned! Thank you all so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

"They say it was of natural causes." A day later David, Penelope, and Emily were all seated in Derek, Aaron, and Spencer's room. Emily had spoken the words. "I...I knew Kathryne. Not well, but I knew of her. She wasn't sick."

Nobody replied, everyone just stayed silent. "You girls really shouldn't be here," Aaron told them. "Anyone catches you and-."

"Please," Derek rolled his eyes. "They could catch us doing cocaine and it wouldn't matter so long as our parents paid them enough." He looked at the wall, not making eye contact with anyone. He'd been weird since the death. They all had.

"Well that's a fact," Emily agreed with him. "Why else would they call this a natural death? To save the reputation of the school." She looked sadly at the ground. "No matter who it hurts."

"What are you trying to say?" Penelope asked her in horror. Her eyes were wide behind the rims of her glasses. She hadn't wiped the shocked expression off her face since the incident. "That she was...that she was murdered?"

David shook his head. "There's no way."

Emily gave him a look. "Please," she replied in disbelief. "That girl didn't just drop."

"Emily," Aaron shook his head. "Just don't."

"So what?" she asked them all. "You all just buy it?" they all looked away, ignoring her like she hadn't said a word. That was, until one of them didn't.

"I don't buy it," Spencer said quietly. They all turned to look at him in surprise. Spencer was seated on his bed, a book clutched to his chest - the book that meant the world to him, given to him by his Mother. He'd received strange looks from both Derek and Aaron when he hugged it to his chest when he slept the night prior, but neither had bothered him. "I don't think she died naturally."

"Why would you say something like that?" Penelope asked him in horror. Her eyes wet and her body posture showed all the signs of grief.

"Because he's smart," Emily responded to her and then turned to look back at Spencer. "Go on, Spencer. Why do you think it wasn't natural?"

"Because." He took in a deep breath. "I think she was poisoned."

All eyes were on him. The only eyes that didn't stare at him like he was nuts were Emily's.

"She was drinking out of bottled water..." Derek pointed out to him.

"Doesn't matter," Spencer replied. "She was one of the girls who ran to help the girl that fell, wasn't she? Like I said, I have an eidetic memory, I remember everything I've seen. I saw her put down her bottle and run to her friend. Later we saw her drinking the water again. Someone could have easily poisoned it in that time," he reasoned with them. Emily nodded her head along with him, while the rest of them continued to stare at him like he'd lost his mind.

"Listen, Sherlock Holmes," David was the first to reply to him. Derek snorted and shook his head. "No one was poisoned. They would have found it out."

"Not if they wanted to hide it well enough," Spencer pointed out. "They could have insisted on only doing a basic toxicology test. They should do a more extensive one, but let's be honest, people don't alway do what they're supposed to," Spencer sighed. "Especially when there's money involved."

"This sounds a bit too conspiracy theory for me." David shook his head. Derek nodded in agreement. Aaron just looked like he was in deep consideration.

"Why?" Spencer inquired. He then laughed, it was humorless, and empty. "In the day I've been here I've already caught three people doing drugs, seen you..." he gestured to David, "sneak alcohol in, and you..." He gestured to Emily, "sneak cigarettes in."

"Yeah." Derek rolled his eyes and sat up a bit straighter. "Listen here, kid. Those things are a bit easier to sneak in than poison."

"Is it?" Spencer asked. "It's weird, we're all under 24/7 observation, yet no one is actually paying any attention to anything we do. If it was that easy for you to sneak alcohol in a punch bowl, and it took that long for the teachers to notice, how easy do you think it would be for somebody to poison Kathryne's drink?" Everyone paused for a moment. The room was dead silence. The horror of the possibility weighed heavily on all of them, and no one except Emily and Spencer were really ready to face the possibility. Then again, even those two were scared.

"Look," Aaron sighed. He rubbed a hand over his brow. "I get it. This is getting into all of our heads, okay? But...there's nothing we could do about it. We can't...worry about things that are beyond our control." He looked around the room, and then bowed his head. "If you're all really freaked, I can try to talk to Strauss."

"Man, don't," David told him immediately. "You go to Strauss saying you think the girl was poisoned, guess who the first person they're going to suspect of poisoning is gonna be?" David asked him. The room once again was plunged into silence.

"So what?" Penelope asked them, her voice still tearful, her eyes fearful. "We just...go on?"

"We stick together," Aaron told them. "Buddy system, okay? It may have been natural, or accidental, but there's no harm in playing it safe. Two together at all times, if anyone notices something weird we tell the other, got it?" They all nodded, except Spencer, who wasn't sure if he was included. He hadn't known them for long. "Spencer, that means you, too," Aaron told him. Spencer looked at him in surprise as all eyes turned to him. He hesitantly nodded his head, still stunned he was included.

"No man gets left behind," David said with a small smile. "Kind of like the army."

"Huh. This does almost feel like we're going to war," Emily mused.

"That's because we all feel like we're fighting for our lives," Derek observed. He picked at the comforter that was crumpled up in a ball at the foot of his bed. His ear phones were forgotten, and lay on his left side. He looked very distracted.

"We're all going to be okay, right?" Penelope asked anxiously. Her eyes looked around the room searchingly. "Even if it was...even it was a murder...we'll still be okay, right?"

"It probably wasn't," Aaron told her soothingly. "We're just going to play it safe. If we play it safe, we'll be fine. Just, don't leave any drinks out in the open, got it?"

"Yeah, uh, Aaron." Emily looked at him, bemused. "I've been a female my whole life. Believe me when I say, that's not the first time I've heard that golden rule." Penelope laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Okay then," David took in a deep breath. "No man gets left behind. Ladies and gentlemen, we've been drafted."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

During lunch, Spencer sat with David, Emily, Aaron, Derek, and Penelope. He noticed that their eyes seemed to scan the entire room...well, most of them. Penelope seemed to focus more on making sure the right amount of sugar was in her lemonade.

"I swear," she told them as Spencer sat down next to Aaron, "they cheat you out of sugar. They don't allow us to drink caffeine, yet they won't give us a suitable amount of sugar, either." She complained as she dumped a sugar packet in.

"Don't get him started on the caffeine." David rolled his eyes and gestured to Spencer, who, despite their talk that morning, was bleary eyed and sleepy. "He's apparently an addict."

"The definition of being addicted is to be physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects," Spencer explained to all of them as he poked at his pasta alfredo. Unimpressed. "So yes, I'm addicted."

Everyone had snorted in amusement. "So, Spencer," Emily began. She poked at her own dish like it would burst into flames at any given moment. "Why'd your parents decide to lock you up in here?"

Spencer looked at her in surprise. He really hadn't expected to be asked that question. He assumed that people would just assume that his parents had decided to send him to a boarding school so he could get a good education and be well taken care of. "Uh...good education," he replied, but it sounded false, even to his own ears.

Emily gave Spencer a look, and everyone at the table either snorted or shook their head in disbelief. "Right,"she replied. "I totally believe that."

"Are you from around here?" Penelope asked him. Spencer shrunk down into his seat. He hated to be asked questions. "Or did your parents just pick it?"

"It's pretty far from where I live, actually," he replied honestly. He shoveled a piece of pasta into his mouth, and smiled slightly at the taste. At least the boarding school provided good food. Although, he had learned that earlier with the pancakes. "My Dad did some research on the best boarding schools, and he picked this one. I'm originally from Las Vegas," he informed them. He looked up from his lunch to see their looks of utter disbelief. "What?" he asked insecurely.

"You're from sin city?" Derek asked. He looked Spencer up and down. "Are you messing with us?"

Spencer frowned, insulted by the accusation. "No! I'm seriously from Vegas! It's where I was born!"

"Ah." David nodded his head. He grinned a little bit. "That must be...fun."

"Oh, please." Emily whacked him on the arm. He winced and gripped it and glared at the raven haired girl. "Believe it or not, there aren't strippers lining the streets of Vegas."

"Well, way to ruin a guy's fantasy, Emily," David said to her. She rolled her eyes and continued to prod her food. "What's next? You gonna spread the word on Santa?"

"If you're honestly comparing your belief in strippers lining the streets of vegas to the innocent imagination kids posses of Santa, then you are much more sick than I ever gave you credit for," Emily said dryly. David glared at her, and the rest of the table cracked up. They were promptly glared at by just about everyone else. They all sobered immediately, as the memory of the day prior had come back in full detail.

Almost as if on cue, the blonde girl that had been crouched in front of her ailing friend walked into the cafeteria. The whole room went into dead silence as she walked through it, accompanied by another blonde. The other blonde didn't look even half as torn up.

"That's Jennifer Jareau," Penelope leaned forward and whispered to him. "She was Kathryne's best friend." She looked at Jennifer, bit her lip, and then stuck her hand out to touch the girl's shoulder as she went to walk past. The girl immediately halted, and Jennifer's friend looked at Penelope in annoyance.

"Hey, sweetie," Penelope said gently. Jennifer just continued to stare at her with red-rimmed eyes. "Would you like to sit with us? We have room."

Jennifer looked at the table, her eyes ran over the faces of everyone seated there. "This is Spencer," Penelope explained and gestured to the boy, who gave Jennifer a tiny little wave. "He's really smart and stuff."

Jennifer grinned at that and waved back at him. "Nice to meet you, Spencer," she croaked. Her voice sounded cracked, like her throat had been rubbed raw.

"Hi," Spencer greeted softly, shyly. He was unsure of what to say to her, as his comforting skills had never been the greatest.

"Well, as cute as this all is," the other blonde cut in and fixed them all with a tight smile, "Jennifer and I should probably have lunch with Kathryn's other friends. If you all don't mind," she said cruelly. She gripped Jennifer's arm tightly, and the two of them walked away. The group wasn't even spared another glance.

"Should have known," David huffed out. He shook his head in what appeared to be disappointment as he went back to eating his food.

"Known what?" Spencer asked in confusion. It was odd to enter a whole new environment. It made you feel like you had walked into a whole other world.

"That Jennifer Jareau wouldn't sit with us," Emily replied. She cast a glance to Jennifer, who was surrounded by her friends. They all were teary eyed, but Jennifer seemed the most distraught. "We all used to be friends when she first came here...but things change." She shrugged.

"We're all still friends," Penelope argued. Emily had given her a 'yeah right' look. Penelope continued, slightly deflated, "She just sits over there with popular people...and we sit here."

"You mean she sits at the popular table," Emily took over. Penelope glanced at her warily. "Meanwhile, we sit at the table of misfits."

"Hey." Penelope pouted. She let her fork drop to her plate. "We're not that bad. I mean, Derek plays football." She gestured to Derek. Spencer wasn't surprised by that. "David plays soccer, and Aaron-." She paused as she bit her lip and looked at Aaron. "Well, he's Aaron." David and Derek laughed, while Aaron just shook his head, though obviously amused. "Oh! Now we have Spencer!" Penelope said with excitement. "Spencer's a genius!"

"Yeah." Emily nodded her head slowly. "Like I said...misfits." Penelope just glared at her and went to take a sip of her lemonade, but froze before she completed the task.

"Were...um...were you guys watching my drink while I spoke?" Everyone looked around the table at each other, except Spencer, who spoke up. "Yes. I watched it out of the corner of my eye the entire time you spoke to Jennifer," he informed her with a small smile. Penelope blew a kiss at him.

"My knight in shining armor," she cooed as she took a sip of her beverage. Derek looked at her and put a hand to his chest in mock hurt.

"I thought I was your knight, babygirl." He pouted. David rolled his eyes, and flung a small piece of the bread, from the sandwich he had chosen, at Derek. Derek caught it and ate it.

"Oh, my love." Penelope put her hand to her heart. "You are more than just my dearest knight, you are my beautiful, sexy, love slave." She sent him an air kiss, and he pretended to catch it in mid-air. Spencer looked between the two of them in confusion.

"You'll get used to this," Emily promised him. "It happens a lot." Spencer just nodded his head shyly, still confused by it all.

Aaron eyes were darting around the room. He looked as though he was closely eyeing Jennifer's table. His eyes were narrowed, the analytical look in them had come back ten-fold, as he scanned the faces of everyone at the table. His eyes then shifted across the room to look at the teacher's table, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh for the love of God," David groaned. Everyone turned to look at him, except Aaron who still had his eys focused on the teachers' table. "You have that look on your face..."

Aaron blinked in surprise and then his eyes finally shifted back to his current company, the focus landed on David. "What look?"

"That suspicious look. It's the same look you got our first year here when you thought our geometry teacher was drinking during class." David recalled. Derek snorted at the memory.

"Yeah, and Strauss ended up...giving him a very strict talk about that," Aaron replied. He didn't look at all happy with the memory, though Spencer supposed it was because of the lack of justice.

"Eh whatever, Mr. Lawyer, just get on with it, already," David urged him.

"It's just...weird," Aaron sighed. He looked over at the teacher's table again. They all let their eyes drift over. "Just...look at Strauss," he told them.

David shrugged. "What about her?"

"You ever seen Strauss look troubled?" Aaron asked him. Suddenly they all took it in. Erin's food was cut up, but not a single bite was taken from it. Her drink was left untouched, as well. Her hair was a mess, and not at all in its usual perfect and prim condition. Not only that, but the buttons in her shirt were all wrong.

"So what? Someone just died, and we're all a bit messed up." Derek shrugged, and returned back to his food.

"Yeah, but it's not that." Aaron continued to stare at her. "She doesn't look...sad. She looks stressed. It makes me think that..." He stopped himself and bit his lip, deep in thought.

"Makes you think what?" Penelope pressed.

"It makes me think that maybe Emily and Spencer were right." Everyone at the table stopped their movement. Derek stopped with his fork midway to his mouth. "I think Strauss is hiding something."

There was silence, before David shook his head. "You got that from what? The fact that she looks stressed?" He looked Aaron right in his eyes. "That's stupid, Aaron. Someone died in the middle of a party, parents probably want to pull their kids out of school to get them trauma counseling."

"Yeah, and then strauss would get a therapist to evaluate all of us and the parents would back off," Aaron reasoned. "She knows how these things work. It has to be something much worse to worry Strauss."

"He's right," Emily agreed. She leaned into the table, and everyone followed suit. They had to keep their voices low, so no one could overhear them. "Strauss has to cover up everything that happens here. I don't think her covering a murder would be a stretch."

"Yes it is!" David argued. His voice had risen a bit, which had made them all wince. He promptly lowered it. "It's one thing to let some kids do crack, it's another to cover up the murder of a student."

"She might not know for sure," Aaron said. "But she could be suspecting."

"So what?" David inquired. "You're now on team Sherlock?"

"There are no teams, dumbass." Emily rolled her eyes. She ran a hand through her long, straight raven hair. "This isn't a soccer game."

"Yeah, and it's also not a game of Clue," David snapped back at her.

"You said yourself that we've been drafted!" Emily argued.

"That was a joke!"

"Both of you cut it out," Aaron ordered. In the short period of time Spencer had been at the school, he'd noticed Aaron seemed to take a leadership position over the group. It was for the best, he assumed. They were an odd mix. "This is important."

"How?" David asked them. He wiped a hand over his whole face and groaned in annoyance. "Look, guys, we're not kids pretending to be the Hardy Boys. If you really think something is wrong, then you can go to the police and become suspect #1, but this is all pointless," he explained.

"David's got a point," Derek agreed. "I'm the first to point out an injustice, man. But just because this school is boring as all hell doesn't mean we create our own detective story."

Spencer just listened into the conversation, not quite sure what to say. At that moment he wanted to be back at home, in bed with a good book. A memory he would have preferred over that would have been when he used to crawl into his Mother's bed when he was younger. She and her Father never shared a bed, so she'd always let him sneak in if he had a nightmare. She'd put her arm around him, tuck him in tight, and then give him a choice of which story he would like for her to read him. He'd pick one, and fall asleep to the sound of his Mother's voice. No matter how bad she ever got, she never stopped reading to him. Her voice had been the only thing in the world to calm him after a bad dream. It was odd, she had lost touch with most of reality, but she'd been able to bring him back to his own.

He hadn't been aware of the world around him enough to realize his eyes had filled up with tears, and that his breathing had become ragged.

"Oh! Spencer!" Penelope, of course, had been the one to bring attention to his condition. "Sweetie, it's okay! Don't cry!" She reached a hand across the table to gently place it on his shoulder. Her eyes had lost her former panic, and now were flooded with empathy.

"I-I need to go. Can I go? I need to go." He pushed himself to his feet, and quickly left the area. He had a little while longer until 12:45pm. He could hide out in his room until then. No one had bothered to stop him. He hadn't wanted to break down in front of anyone, and wanted to leave with what little composure he had left. He was upset, but for a different reason than Penelope and the others had probably assumed.

How pathetic was he? A terrible thing happened in front of him, and the only thing in the world he felt could possibly make it better was his Mother.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Hey." It was their "free-time," the time you got to just hang around with friends. Spencer was up in their room, on his bed, scribbling in his journal. His Mother had once told him she felt journaling helped you retain your sanity. He looked up to see Derek. He was sweat covered. Spencer raised an eyebrow at him. "Football," He explained.

"Ah." Spencer nodded. He closed his journal as Derek approached him, not wanting the other man to see what he had been writing. "I see."

Derek sat on his bed and Spencer winced, he was sweaty and smelly. "Listen up, kid," Derek begun. Spencer's whole body stiffened, unsure of what was coming. "I know this place seems like it sucks, and that it seems like it's boring. But it really isn't all that bad." Spencer raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Derek chuckled. Spencer was a bit surprised, he hadn't known Derek for long...but he still hadn't expected the boy to try to show any type of kindness towards him.

"Look, kid." Spencer frowned, he didn't like being called a "kid". "Like I said, I know this place seems boring, and that you're dying for something interesting to happen. Hell, first day here I heard a kid make up a theory about how one of the teachers is a vampire. But, freaking yourself out isn't going to speed the process up any."

Spencer looked away from him. "Emily and Aaron see it." He pointed out.

Derek sighed. "I've seen this type of thing before," Derek informed him. "Something bad happens, and your brain starts to work up all the possible ways it could get worse. But there's no reason to get scared kid. I've been going here for years, and we've all been perfectly safe."

"So you think the death was natural?" Spencer inquired.

Derek shrugged his shoulders. "I know that it's not worth getting scared over," He told him. Spencer looked at him in a mix of shock and horror. "I'm not saying a potential serial killer isn't a big deal! What I'm saying is, right now this is all the theory of a bunch of bored boarding school kids. What Aaron said earlier, before lunch, was all true. We stick together, we avoid any situations that could lead to disaster, we keep calm and just...go on."

Spencer eyed him. "Why are you talking to me about this?" He asked him.

Derek cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't get why you came to me directly, instead of telling all of us this," Spencer replied. He eyed Derek much like Aaron had eyed Erin Strauss. Derek didn't look too bothered by it, though.

"Because I know the look I saw in your face at lunch," Derek replied simply. Spencer's eyes widened. "I know it very well. I think you have enough on your plate, and that you've seen enough horrors recently, and that adding this on will just make it worse." With that, Derek stood up. Spencer continued to look at him, thunderstruck.

Derek smirked down at the boy. "I'm going to hit the showers," He told him. "But don't worry about all this, kid. We've got your back." With that, he walked off.

Spencer sat there in awe for a few more moments.

'_Huh,_' He thought to himself. '_I was just told I'd be protected by a football player." _He shook his head. '_This is going to be interesting.' _


	3. Chapter 3

A week had passed by, and Spencer found out that when the group made a decision, they took it very seriously. None of them were ever left alone. It seemed as though every time Spencer exited a class, one of the others was right there waiting for him. They watched each others drinks, food, and hung out with each other. It was like nothing Spencer had ever experienced in his entire life. Then again, he'd never had friends.

David amused him, even though he didn't fully understand him. The boy was funny, and one time when they were alone he told Spencer about his passion for the military, particularly the Marines. He seemed to know a lot about it, and seemed to enjoy the fact that Spencer had enough encyclopedic knowledge to keep up with the conversation. Spencer had been surprised when the boy admitted that he knew there was nothing between him and Erin Strauss, but that he liked to pull Derek's chain. He told Spencer that he had faith Spencer wouldn't tell anyone. Spencer learned in just a week that David was good at reading people, even though it seemed as though it was Aaron's thing. David was smart, but he just kept it under wraps.

Aaron was very serious for his age. Spencer almost had a hard time believing the things the others had told him about, mostly to tease Aaron, about Aaron's "wild" days. Something he also found he appreciated about Aaron was the fact that the boy made a good roommate. He kept his side of the room tidy, and never really bothered Spencer as he read. Spencer had also found out Aaron had a protective concern about him. One night he had awoken the boy after he'd experienced a nightmare, and Aaron was particularly kind to him the very next day. Something else he'd discovered? The girl that Aaron was head over heels for was named Haley. Derek and David often teased him about it, and Aaron consistently ignored them. He was very bright, and had hopes to become a lawyer, which Spencer discovered what Aaron's Dad was. All he'd found out about Aaron's home life was that the boy had a brother, and the profession of his Father was a lawyer. He was quiet about anything else, which was fine by Spencer, he'd only know the boy a week.

Penelope was one of the most eccentric people he'd ever known. But that wasn't all she was, she was a very caring person, and fiercely protective of those she loved. Something that had taken him by surprise, was that he discovered that Penelope Garcia was one of the most brilliant people he'd ever met. She was inconceivable when it came to technology. She told him she could hack into anywhere in the schools database, and that she had never been caught doing so. She had also told him she could hack into anything, but he said he didn't want to see her do so. He went on to say all the ways they could go to jail for it, but she merely laughed him off. She was brilliant, passionate, and a little bit insane.

Emily had multiple layers to her, which made her incredibly interesting. He was pretty sure even if had dedicated the rest of his life to uncovering all of her layers, he still would never succeed at the task. Her Mother was an Ambassador, and Emily herself possessed extreme intellect. Spencer learned that she spoke various languages, something which had intrigued him. Emily brushed it off like it wasn't that big of a deal, as she did when Spencer learned her Mother was an Ambassador. She smoked, and was incredibly sarcastic, but also extremely protective. But the most highly respected of all her traits? That she was a worthy chess opponent. Something the genius had looked a long time for.

Derek was an enigma to him. He had found the boy to be insanely secretive, at times he almost reached the point of violence when questions of his past were poked at too much. He never spoke of his family, and when family was brought up he clammed up. He was big, and strong, and had a temper. But something Spencer had learned, and respected, was that the boy was insanely caring. He could be ridiculous funny...and ridiculously flirtatious, especially towards Penelope. The nature of their relationship was one that Spencer didn't quite understand. He tried hard to, but even after only a week he learned it neared impossible. The oddest part, was that Derek had almost seemed to like him.

Spencer had written all that, in his own words, down in his journal. It was a brown leather bound journal that came with a string to wrap around it to keep it shut tight. The pages inside were unlined, so he had to make sure to keep his hand steady as he wrote. Which was hard, be his brain moved much faster than he could make his hand go, thus his writing always came out messy. He tried to make sure to write in it daily, much like his Mother had in her own, but he felt that after a week he should write down his full thoughts on everyone that had, unexpectedly, surrounded him. He opened and closed every journal entry with a quote, he felt it made them all the more special.

"What do you even write about in there?" David asked him. It was just before curfew, and the boy hung around in the room while the others were hanging around in other parts of the school. Spencer had no idea why David chose to sit with him instead. But there he was, oddly relaxed that evening.

Spencer was startled by the question, and quickly closed the journal shut, as though afraid David would peak at it. He felt sheepish when David just raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged his shoulders in response to David's inquiry. "I don't know. My day?"

David snorted, bemused. He was in Derek's bed, which Spencer was sure the other boy would kill him for, both hands folded behind his head. He looked as though he hadn't a care in the world. "Every day here feels about the same."

Spencer opened his journal to quickly write down his closing quote. He chose one by Mark Twain on friendship. "Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life."

"I don't know," He replied to David as he closed his journal. He wrapped the string around it, and tied it in a tight bow. He sat it beside him, and then lay down, his eyes still attached to the brown leather. "It's more than I actually used to do."

"What did you used to do?" David inquired. He sounded as though his curiosity had peaked. Spencer wasn't surprised, he hadn't spoken much about his own life. They hadn't really pushed him. Not after David, Aaron, and Derek had made the assumption about his Mother.

"I don't know." Spencer sighed, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine his life before it had spun too much out of control. "Science projects, mostly. I read a lot."

David snorted. "Doesn't sound too much different from now."

Spencer smirked, he recalled how he gazed through his microscope. It was funny, things that one would never notice were really so important, so alive, even. "I guess it wasn't."

"Ah, but you didn't have the fabulous entertainment of me in your life," David pointed out good naturedly. Spencer grinned. "So it must have been pretty boring."

"Yeah," Spencer agreed with him. "It was."

David looked down to the watch on his wrist and groaned. "Shit," He cursed. "I need to get back to my room. If I get caught ditching curfew again I might actually get in trouble." He grinned at Spencer as he got up. "Stay out of trouble."

Spencer rolled his eyes. As if he would get into any trouble. "Goodnight, David."

David left and Spencer did a recap of his week. It has been...different than he had expected. Especially since he found himself gazing over his shoulder every few seconds. A part of him had come to believe what David and Derek had said, that it was all just in their heads. He still noticed Aaron watching Erin a bit too closely, but he assumed the boy to just be protective.

Boarding school wasn't the prison he imagined it to feel like. But perhaps it was because Spencer wasn't really leaving a school full of friends, this was the first time he'd ever encountered such. But either way, he didn't even get out as much as the other students did. He also didn't participate in any of the activities others did. Derek tried to talk him into letting him teach him sports, he'd tried all week, each time Spencer had shot him down. He refused to even toss a baseball, or try to hit at one. There was something about a large object hurtling at you when you only have a small little bat to protect yourself that just didn't seem safe.

Spencer closed his eyes, it was a tad bit early, Derek and Aaron hadn't even returned yet, but he felt himself growing tired. So he let the darkness overtake him.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Psst!" He felt himself getting shaken awake and groaned. He hugged his pillow and shoved his face into the softness so deep that he could smell the detergent. How could it be humanly possible that it was already time to get up? He hadn't even heard the alarm! "Kid, come on!" The voice whispered.

Spencer begrudgingly cracked open his eyes. He was plunged into similar darkness, so he had to wait for his eyes to adjust, and when they did, he discovered it was Derek who hovered over him. The boy grinned when he saw Spencer become more alert. "Hey!" He greeted him enthusiastically. Though his voice was still a hushed whisper.

"Wah is eh?" Spencer slurred. It was still dark out. The sun hadn't yet risen, and Derek hadn't even the decency to turn the dorm room light on.

"Time to expand your horizons, kid," Derek said as a way of explanation. He tore Spencer's blankets off of him, and the boy just watched them being torn away from him sadly. His brain was still sleep muddled, and he didn't fully comprehend what was happening. All he had known was it was dark, he was cold, and that Derek was very mean.

Suddenly, Derek had gripped each of his hands and pulled him to his feet. Spencer looked at him bleary eyed, hair swished in all different directions. Derek chuckled and looked him up and down. "Damn." He shook his head in amusement. "Not so pretty when woken up, are you?"

"Mmmm, pretty huh?" Spencer asked tiredly. Derek covered his mouth with his hand and cast a worried glance over to Aaron's bed. The boy just simply flipped onto his stomach and let out a sigh, still sound asleep.

"Not so smart, either." Derek slowly took his hand off Spencer's mouth. The boy continued to stare at him in a sleepy confusion.

"What're doin'?" Spencer inquired, he lowered his voice, aware enough to know they weren't supposed to wake Aaron.

"Taking you out of here," Derek explained. He pushed Spencer's jacket into his hands, and Spencer stared down at it, and then back up at Derek in puzzlement. "Put it on," Derek encouraged. When Spencer didn't automatically do as directed, Derek mimed the movement of putting on a jacket. Spencer rolled his eyes and put the jacket on over his pajamas.

"Good boy." Derek clasped Spencer's wrist tightly, and pulled him along toward the door. "Just follow my lead."

~.~.~.~.

That was how Spencer and Derek ended up running towards the woods. Spencer had started to wake up, and thus, the panic that he should have been feeling appeared. He found himself shaking, and it wasn't from the wind. He'd barely managed to throw his shoes on before he had gotten tugged out the door, and he was pretty sure he had each shoe on the wrong foot. ...He was even pretty sure the show on his left foot, that belonged on his right foot, wasn't his.

"What are we doing?!" He cried out as he rushed closer to Derek. He found himself shrinking more towards the older boy as they approached the dark woods. There was a path, but he still was terrified. He always had hated the dark, and running through the woods in the dark of night was not appealing. ...In fact he was pretty sure it was the start of a horror movie.

"Shh!" Derek put a finger to his lips, and a broad smile appeared on his face from behind the diget. "I'm showing you something," He informed him. He put an arm around Spencer's shoulders, and guided him into the dark woods. Spencer felt shame in the fact he practically clung to him, his hand curled in a white knuckle grip in the older boy's jacket. His whole body shook against Derek, and he had found himself begin to hide his face into the wool, as well.

The walk seemed like it had taken forever. Spencer was petrified, so many terrible ideas had floated into his mind. Like the fact that maybe Derek didn't actually like him, and was taking him to do something horrible. ...Such as to leave him stranded in the horrible, dark, woods for the night. Spencer imagined himself lost, wandering through the woods, crying for help as he tripped over branches. Or that there could be a series of horrible people hidden in the woods, like in some kind of twisted horror movie. Multiple thoughts floated through his mind, but they were put to rest once Derek got off the path, and guided him through the woods into an open alcove, where it seemed like a fort sat in the middle of. It looked almost too professional for the average fort, he almost wanted to call it a cabin. It was well built, sturdy, and looked as though a lot of time had been spent on it. Much more professional than the average fort that some kids get together to build for whacky adventure time. Though, it was quite small.

"...What?" Spencer asked in bewilderment. Derek walked right up to the door and opened it up, he gestured for Spencer to come forward. Spencer was thankful his eyes had adjusted, and that the light of the moon was able to shine down unto the fort. He hated the darkness. He'd always had a fear of it, as far back as he could remember.

Which was a very big reason as to why he didn't want to go inside. If the outside was that dark, he couldn't imagine what going inside of it would be like. Pitch black darkness, with no hint of where you were inside, or if you were about to hit anything clouded his thoughts. His imagination could tend to be overactive, which could have been why he also pictured animals hiding inside of it in dark corners, hungry for a snack. But, he soon entered, anyway. He wasn't quite sure why. It made no logical sense. He'd only known the other boy a week, and there he was wandering through the woods with him and going into a strange fort. But he found himself wandering towards it, and before he knew it, he was plunged inside the darkness. It was much like he had imagined in his mind. Total complete darkness. He took in a deep, shuddering breath. The placed smelled strongly of wood. It took him back to the time they got new hardwood floors, his house had smelled similarly.

"BOO!" The noise shocked and terrified him. He let out a shriek of terror and jumped higher than he thought possible of himself. He heard Derek's laugh, and next thing he knew, a bit of light turned on in the room. He looked at the source, and was surprised to see a gas lamp. Derek walked around the room and turned the rest on, as Spencer tried to regain his composure.

"What was that?!" He cried out in anger. He took in deep shuddering breaths, his hand held to his chest where he could feel the rapid thumping.

"Sorry." Derek shrugged, he looked none too apologetic. If anything, he looked amused. One side of his mouth kept twitching upwards. "Couldn't resist."

It was then that Spencer took a real look around the fort. He couldn't help but be impressed. He was unsure how the inside of it would look, but to his shock it was furnished. It all looked homemade, including a coffee table that sat in the middle of the room. A nice light colored wood, well put together and sturdy.

"I found this place awhile back," Derek explained to him. He took a seat in one of the chairs, and gestured for Spencer to do the same. He did. "It was a mess, falling apart. But I fixed it up."

Spencer looked at him with astonishment. "How did you manage to do that?!"

Derek gave him a cryptic stare. "I have my ways." He cracked into a smile after the sentence was said.

"You know, the more you all say that, the more fearful I become of all of you," Spencer told him dryly. In earnest, he couldn't believe that Derek had fixed the place up himself. It was in great condition. He leaned forward to drag a hand across the wood of the coffee table. It was smoothed out, not at all rough against his fingertips. "Did you make it?" He asked.

Derek nodded, he looked proud. "Yeah! Had some spare time, you know? I mean, football eats up a lot of it, but at night I'd even work on it." He then shrugged his shoulders and almost looked bashful. A look Spencer had yet to see the older boy wear. "This kind of stuff relaxes me."

"Do you come here every night?" Spencer inquired. He was surprised that if so, he hadn't ever heard the boy sneak out. Spencer found himself to be a light sleeper, the quietest noises usually woke him.

Derek shook his head in the negative. "No," He answered. "Just sometimes."

"Do you guys hang out here?" Spencer asked.

Derek's face got a weird expression on it. One that Spencer couldn't, even with his extensive vocabulary, think of a word to describe. Then he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Spencer worried that he had said the wrong thing. "They don't know." Derek said softly. Spencer looked astonished.

"What?" He asked, taken aback. "They don't?"

Derek shook his head again. "I never told them."

"Why?" Spencer inquired curiously. They all seemed so close, it was hard to believe Derek kept the place from them.

"Because I needed someplace...quiet," Derek explained softly. "Someplace to myself."

Spencer's brow furrowed. "Then why did you tell me?"

Derek looked at him in the eyes, earnesty was all Spencer could see in the orbs. It captured him in a way so that even if he had wanted to look away, he doubted his ability to. "Because I thought you would be the only one to truly appreciate it," He answered.

Spencer took a moment to process that. Spencer had always liked peace and quiet. Even at home, he'd hide out in his room. Him, his microscope, a pile of books, and already finished home-work. He was never comfortable in groups. The loud noise of his peers at school startled and frightened him. In the quiet of his room, with just himself, he never had to worry about a fist being thrown at his face, or about the taunting words that followed him through the halls. Or the names that were said under one's breath in the midst of class. He felt like deep down, he knew what Derek meant...and he was touched by it.

"The others...I mean, they're like family, they are," Derek continued. "But sometimes...they don't get it. They don't get things like this," Derek attempted to explain. "Aaron enjoys quiet, but its his own type of quiet. Same with Emily. They wouldn't get what this place means to me." Derek looked down at the ground. "I know I don't have very much to go on after just a week, but I thought you might understand."

Spencer nodded his head, and a tiny smile graced his face. "I think I do." He said softly. Derek looked up at him, and smiled. His smile was different that time, it was a bit more hesitant, and almost one of relief.

They had stayed there for awhile. Derek showed Spencer the rest of the fort. There wasn't much to it, but there was a little "bedroom" area. Separated from the main area by a door frame, that had a sheet nailed atop, so it hung down from it, as though it were a makeshift curtain. It was the only other room in the place. It even had a mattress. Derek told him not to ask how he'd swung that. They then had sat and talked for awhile. Spencer had rattled on about statistics, and Derek attempted to get Spencer to understand football. It was weird, because they were two totally different people, but at that night, at that moment, they came together. Derek had seen something in Spencer, something that made him think that Spencer was the only other person in that school that could appreciate the private place he had formed for himself. He was correct. Spencer thought it was one of the most wonderful places he'd seen. It was tiny, and it was probably quiet at night. Not much furnituring, no technical appliances. Just wood and the various objects that Derek had placed in it.

It was perfect.

Before they left the fort, due to exhaustion, Derek told Spencer that whenever he felt like he needed a quiet place, or if he felt as though he needed to get away, that he was allowed to use the fort. He promised that if Spencer left his own stuff there, he wouldn't go through it, so long as Spencer didn't go through any of his. It was odd, Derek was a private person. But for some reason that night he had opened up a part of himself.

It was one of the most important nights of Spencer's life. One that he'd never forget.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"You look like hell," David told Spencer at breakfast. Spencer glared at him as he cut his pancakes with tired, jagged movements. Derek was seated next time, he was surprisingly bright eyed and bushy tailed for someone who had probably gotten less sleep than Spencer. "Didn't you get any sleep?"

"You were conked out when Derek and I got back," Aaron looked at him in concern. "What happened?"

Spencer saw Derek slow his movements out of the corner of his eye and felt the boys eyes on him. He knew that Derek was wondering if Spencer was going to tell his secret. Spencer felt as though it were a test of Spencer's loyalty. If he had earned the huge secret which Derek had bestowed unto him. If he had broken Derek's trust at that moment, no matter what he would do after he'd have never earned it back.

Spencer was determined to show him he'd made the right choice. "I can't get used to my bed," he lied. Well, it wasn't totally a lie. He missed his regular bed. He'd picked it out himself. "It just doesn't feel right."

"Yeah," Penelope nodded her blonde head. "It takes awhile to get used to those. I swear, that's why I hate coming back here after summer vacation. I get so used to my bed at home, and then I come back here and it's like a whole new world...and it's not shining, shimmering or splendid!"

"Tell me, princess, when did you last let your heart decide?" Derek asked her. Spencer stared between the two of them in confusion. Emily let her fork clatter to her plate, which earned her glares from the other tables.

"I'm sorry, but you've seen Aladdin?" She asked Derek. "Enough times to quote the song?"

"That's from a movie?" Spencer asked in surprise. Most of the table ignored him, except the weird look he got from David.

"Of course I've seen Aladdin," Derek scoffed. "Have you seen Jasmine?!" Emily let out a groan of disgust and Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Really?" Emily asked in disappointment. "Sexualizing a kids movie? Really?" Derek just winked at her.

"Dude." There was a poke on Derek's shoulder. The boy turned to look at the source. It was a tall kid, well built, not as well built as Derek, but still. "You hear about Richards?" He asked.

Derek frowned up at him. "Nah, man. What about him?"

"Man, I swear no one says anything at this school," The boy hissed. He looked as though he were in great distress. Derek's frown deepened, and everyone at the table now stared at him. "He OD'd last night, man."

Everyone looked at him in shock. Utensils were put down, food was forgotten, the main focus was either the boy, or Derek, who opened and closed his mouth a few times, and then cleared his throat. "Why haven't I heard anything about it?"

"Just happened, man. Last night," The kid explained. "Besides." He gestured his head towards the teacher's table. "Think good 'ol Strauss is trying to keep it on the DL," He explained. "As far as everyone will be concerned, they'll probably just try to make it sound like he just left." With that, he gave Derek a pat on the shoulder, and was off. Derek sat there in shock, his mouth hung slightly open, and his eyes looked sightless.

"Oh my god." Penelope reached a hand across the table to touch his shoulder gently. "Derek, are you okay?"

Derek swallowed, hard. "We...uh...he wasn't..." Derek looked up at them in confusion. "He didn't do drugs."

"Well, people don't commonly advertise it," David replied. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Commonly." He repeated.

"You don't get it," Derek said to David. His voice was tight with emotion. "He was one of the few people on the football team that actually gave a damn. He wouldn't do drugs."

"Perfectly healthy girl falls dead, and now a perfectly healthy football player ODs," Emily mused. Her eyes were dark and grave. "That's not suspicious."

"Emily." David gave her a look. "Just don't."

"I-I gotta go." Derek left the table. "I gotta think through some shit."

"Derek!" Penelope cried after him. Some people in the dining hall had turned around, but he didn't seem to care. Penelope glared at Emily. "Really nice, Em."

"Two kids have died since we've gotten here, Penelope. What would you call that?" She asked her.

"Rich kids gone wild," David replied.

There were more words spoken, but Spencer paid more attention to the path of which Derek had taken to exit. He bit his lip. He wondered whether or not he should go after the boy, but then a hand rest upon his shoulder.

"I'll talk to him later," Aaron said gently.

"Should he really be alone?" Spencer asked him cautiously. He saw Aaron's eyes widen slightly.

"Jesus." David pushed his pancakes aside. Despite his annoyed tone, he looked just as concerned as the rest of them. "It's ten minutes until class, he'll be fine."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Derek had skipped two classes. Which Penelope hissed to Spencer meant he now had eight points. When Spencer had asked her what that meant, she told him that once you got to ten points it meant you'd be grounded to your dorm room during free time, and that he'd probably miss some of his sports meetings.

"Which would really suck," She told Spencer. They were in the hallway, Spencer about to go to his next class. "There's a game in two weeks."

"David said people here get away with just about everything," Spencer replied.

"Key words are 'just' and 'about'." Penelope shrugged. She flipped a lock of blonde hair over her shoulder. "As long as you get to your classes you can get away with just about anything."

"Ah." Spencer nodded. Penelope looked at him expectantly. "What?" He inquired.

"Could you go get him?" She inquired. Spencer's eyes widened.

"Why me? Why not Aaron?!" His voice came out almost as a squeak. There was one equation that Spencer knew the best. Comforting+Spencer=bad.

"Because Aaron isn't here, you are, and you're little and cute and I don't think he'd yell at you," Penelope answered honestly. She gave Spencer a desperate look. "You need to get a new textbook, anyway. Just, please. I don't want him to be grounded to his room."

Spencer sighed. "Fine," He abided.

~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer cautiously opened the door to their room, and peaked inside.

"I'm not going to shoot you," Derek said. Spencer finally poked his entire head in and saw the boy on the bed, one earphone forgotten on his side, and his face troubled.

"You missed two classes." Spencer rushed inside, shut the door and ran for his textbook that lay lonely on his bed. "That's eight points."

Derek rolled his eyes, irked. "I'm shaking," He retorted.

Spencer picked up his textbook and turned to look at Derek warily. "You're going to get in trouble," He reminded him.

"What else is new?" Derek asked. He flipped through the songs on his MP3 player, and basically ignored Spencer. Who cautiously approached him, gently he laid a hand on Derek's shoulder, who flinched away.

"I'm sorry," Was all he could manage to say. It was said softly, with the utmost sincerity. Spencer had never been one for comfort, so he just said what he knew was fact. That he was sorry.

Derek shrugged. He looked up at Spencer, and sighed. "We weren't good friends," He said softly. "But he was a good guy." He narrowed his eyes. "He also damn sure didn't do drugs."

Spencer bit his lip. "My Uncle Daniel overdosed," He admitted softly. It was a pretty big family secret, considering that it was his Father's brother, and that image was important.

Derek rubbed a hand on his face and sighed in annoyance. "Look, kid, I'm sorry about that. That sucks. Don't think I'm not being sympathetic to that. But look, I know this kid...or, well, knew him. I know that he actually gave a damn about football, and I know he didn't do drugs."

"31,758 people die each year of a drug overdose," Spencer quoted to him. Derek continued to look annoyed, and the emotion was slowly morphing into anger. "...I don't know if your friend was one of them."

Derek's morphing annoyance turned from pending anger, to shock. "You're going with what Emily thinks?" He asked. "Do you think he was killed?"

Spencer paused. He looked calm on the outside, but inside he was deeply distressed. He had begun to let go of the "hardy boys" hunt for the killer. He'd started to truly believe that it had all been in his head. That no one had been poisoned. That he was being paranoid.

"I think it's really weird that another student died exactly a week after the first," He said gravely. "I think that, and I hope it's not a pattern."

"He didn't do drugs, kid." Derek sat up straight and looked Spencer dead in his eyes. "Which means either some other shit went down, or someone did this to him. I need you to believe me on that."

Spencer's eyes widened. Derek was asking him for his trust...again. Derek had given him his the night before, the least he could do was return the favor.

"Alright," He nodded in affirmation. "I believe you."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"You've got to be kidding me," David cried out. It was just after he and Derek had each finished their different sports meetings. They were hidden up in Aaron, Derek and Spencer's room. Derek had just explained how he thought something weird was going on. "You've joined team Sherlock?"

"Look, man, something weird is happening here," Derek said. "I don't know what I believe, but I know what I know. What I know is that Richards didn't do drugs, and that Kathryn was perfectly healthy."

"Two perfectly healthy kids both suddenly drop dead exactly a week apart from each other," Emily mused aloud. She looked at David, searchingly. "Come on, David. That has to sound odd, even to you."

"Everything here is odd," David argued. Everyone rolled their eyes. "Okay, say, if someone was killing them, why would they kill one boy and one girl with virtually nothing in common?"

"You're wrong," Spencer's voice, and his words, surprised everyone around him. The boy was seated on the floor next to Derek's bed, pretzel style. His face one of a boy deep in thought. "There is a connection. Penelope, you told me that the soccer team was especially upset because Kathryn was their star player." Penelope nodded. "Derek, you said Richards was one of the few on the football team to actually take it seriously."

Derek nodded his head. "Yeah," He confirmed. "He was an even better player than I am."

David snorted. "I'm so quoting you on that later."

Spencer ignored David's remark, still deep in thought. "So, two kids, both healthy, and both extremly athletic, both die exactly a week apart."

Everyone thought that over, before David spoke again. "They both played two totally different sports. Most of the kids here play sports, Spencer. That's not one hell of a connection."

"It might not be," Aaron cut into the conversation. "But it is a connection, and it is weird."

"So what do you say we do about it?" David asked. "We're already attached at each other's hips."

"I say we do a little digging," Aaron responded hesitantly. David looked at him in astonishment. Aaron held up a hand to him to stop him from replying. "If for nothing else, it may put our minds at ease if we find nothing."

"What are we all supposed to do?" David asked.

"Emily said so herself," Derek smirked. "We're misfits. Each of us have totally different talents, and almost nothing in common. Which means, we're all capable of doing something different."

"Right," Emily agreed. Her face lit up. "We've got the lawyer." She gestured to Aaron. "The genius." She gestured to Spencer. "The muscle." She gestured to Derek. "The tech." Then to Penelope. "The Marine." To David, who smirked. "Then...well...me."

"The agent." Aaron decided. Emily looked at him in confusion.

"Agent?" She asked in surprise.

"You're level headed, smart, excellent at reading people," He explained. "You're our agent."

"Alright!" Emily grinned. She then turned to look at David, grin on her face. "When you think about it, we all make a great team."

"Heh." David grinned back at her, couldn't help himself. "When you word it like that, we do sound pretty badass."

"Look," Aaron cut in seriously. "We're not a team of detectives, and we won't try to be. We'll do some light digging, and we'll figure out exactly what happened. It might be all it appears to be, or it might be nothing at all. But the police, and Strauss, aren't going to do anything," He explained.

"Alright," Penelope nodded her head. Her whole body was shaking, but she offered them all a smile and stuck her hand out. "All in."

David raised an eyebrow. "The hand thing?" He asked. "Are you kidding?"

"I've always wanted to do it!" Penelope whined. "Come on! Who is in?!"

"I'm in." Emily smacked her hand on top of Penelope's, and flashed her a smile.

"Me too." Derek agreed, and placed his hand on top of Emily's.

"Me three." Aaron put his hand on top of Derek's.

Spencer slowly placed his own hand on top of Aaron's. He attempted not to think about the amount of germs transmitted through the touch of hand.

All eyes turned to David, who rolled his eyes. "What the hell." He shrugged and put his hand in. "Gives me something to do. I'm in."

"What do we cheer to?" Penelope asked them.

"To the misfits!" Emily suggested.

"Oh you've got to be-." David rolled his eyes.

"On the count of three," Penelope encouraged, a smile now graced her still worried face. "1...2...3...TO THE MISFITS!"

"To the misfits!" They all echoed and shot their fists into the air.

It was one of the stupidest, craziest decisions Spencer had made in his entire life.

But at least his school year would be memorable.


	4. Chapter 4

Spencer sighed as he walked through the grounds outside, wet blades of grass clung to his shoes. The water was left over from the storm the night prior. He'd been up all night as he listened to the sounds of the droplets smack into the window. Someone had also deemed it to be a good idea to hang chimes up outside, and he cursed whoever the idiotic idea had belonged to.

He wasn't supposed to be alone. He had expected to run into Derek outside, as he usually did. Not that he thought it much mattered, only two days had passed and he wasn't an athlete. What they had found out hadn't been much. Penelope found out he was declared dead at the hospital at 11 PM, and Derek discovered he'd been taken by Cruz because he'd been acting weird and was feeling severely ill. He'd died at the hospital. The official cause of death was listed to be an overdose, which Penelope had also discovered. It matched up to what Derek's football player friend said. Spencer didn't want to know how she'd discovered all of it. He was pretty sure it wasn't obtained legally.

Spencer pointed out that his symptoms sounded like those of a slower cyanide poisoning. It sounded as though it took place over a few day period. Penelope had been especially horrified, and asked if they all could already be dying. Spencer had been quick to assure her they'd all have had symptoms, and to just keep an eye and ear open.

But naturally, the genius ended up wandering around the grounds, which a fog covered some of. He was almost positive that Derek hung around outside the building at that exact moment as he waited for football practise. He sighed, and went to turn around to go back inside and head up to his room, when a voice halted him.

"Lost, son?" A voice asked kindly. Spencer gasped and spun around, his heart slowed to a more natural rate when he saw the source of the voice. It was the groundskeeper. He was a middle aged man, long beard, his face slightly covered by the shadow his hat cast. His frame was small, though hidden in baggy clothes. His thin lips formed a kind smile directed towards Spencer.

"Uh, no." Spencer shook his head in the negative. He offered a tiny, shy smile back. "I just...uh...was supposed to meet a friend, but uh...I guess he forgot."

"Ah, I see." The groundskeeper nodded. He then gestured to the garden with a thick gloved hand. "You enjoy gardening?"

Spencer observed the flowers. "I find the cell structure of plants fascinating," he replied. "But I've never really done any type of gardening. It doesn't seem like it makes much sense to do it this time of year, it's already growing cold."

The man chuckled. "I don't find it moot, plenty of flowers bloom in fall," he informed him. "But I don't just garden, I work the grounds. Once it becomes too cold for my flowers, I'll begin to do my other duties. But gardening? It's what I truly love."

Spencer nodded. "They are quite beautiful," he agreed. He kneeled next to the flowers, and made sure his pants didn't quite touch the grass, he hadn't wanted stains. "Huh, it actually might not be so moot after all," he observed. "Winter Aconites survive cold weather beautifully, I'd forgotten that."

"Ah." He nodded. "So they do." He kneeled next to Spencer, he didn't seem to mind his own pants growing dirty and wet. "As do snowdrops, which I plan to plant. It arrives in late winter to early spring."

"Do you really have a winter garden?" Spencer inquired curiously.

The man shrugged. "They don't care much for the gardens in the winter. They more require me to shovel, and rake sometime this fall. Get the grass green again in spring."

"Hard work," Spencer replied.

"Ah, so it is. I'm glad there's someone who can appreciate that fact," he said wistfully. He then removed one of his gloves and stuck out his hand. "Mason Stone," he introduced himself. "What's your name, young man?"

Spencer grinned. The man talked almost as though he was older than the age Spencer perceived. He looked down at the hand and bit his lip. "Spencer Reid," Spencer replied. "...I don't shake hands."

"Ah." Mason nodded respectfully and put his glove back on his hand. "Very well."

"Are you going to grow pumpkins?" Spencer asked. A grin spread on his face, Spencer loved pumpkins. He'd loved the season of fall altogether, it held one of his favorite holidays.

"Already been growing them," Mason answered. "We have pumpkin carvings, of course, some of the kids see it more as a hassle than anything," he said sadly.

"How is it a hassle?" Spencer asked in surprise. "I've always wanted to carve a pumpkin!"

Mason looked at him, equal surprise showed on his features. "You've never carved a pumpkin?"

Spencer shook his head sadly. "No," he sighed. "But I always wanted to."

"Well." Mason smiled at him. "How about this; before the big pumpkin carving event, maybe I'll give you some private lessons."

Spencer's face lit up with excitement. "Really?" He inquired. Mason nodded his head. "I'd love that! I've observed the art of it before, but I've never truly gotten a chance to have the experience."

Mason chuckled. "You're a smart one, aren't you?" He inquired.

Spencer flushed and shrugged. "I've been told."

"What's your passion?" Mason asked. "A science?"

Spencer thought over the question as he gazed at the flowers. The question was much more complicated than the other man probably perceived it to be. "I don't know," Spencer replied honestly. "My Mother was a professor of 15th century literature, she taught me a lot about it, I always did enjoy it," he explained.

"Ah, but it's not your passion," Mason observed wisely. He smiled at the boy with understanding.

"Was this yours?" Spencer asked curiously.

Mason thought over the question, and a tiny smile formed on his face. As though he were smiling at his own private joke. Spencer cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Passions change by the day," he explained. "What you want one day, may not be what you want the next. We all think we want one thing, more than anything in the world. But it doesn't quite work out that way."

"So...it wasn't?" Spencer asked in confusion. Mason laughed heartily.

"It's all fine," he chuckled. "Things work out as they're supposed to."

"You honestly believe that?" Spencer inquired. He'd never quite agreed with it, himself. He didn't get how with all the pain in the world, that people could assume it was all just supposed to happen that way.

Mason thought over Spencer's inquiry. "Heh, now I'm the one who doesn't really know."

Spencer smiled sadly at him, and the two shared a moment of silence. "What are you doing wandering at this hour? Do you have any activities?" Mason asked him suddenly.

Spencer frowned. "You mean sports?" Mason nodded. "Do I look like I play sports?" He asked with a raised brow. Mason laughed in response.

"No, I suppose you don't." He continued to laugh. "Well then, you must be rather bored. Being so bright, your work must not trip you up," he observed.

Spencer nodded. "It bores me, really."

"Then why not come out to keep me company some time?" Mason offered. Spencer blinked in surprise. Mason smiled, almost shyly. "None of the other students take any interest into the things that I do. It gets lonely."

"I know what that's like," Spencer said empathetically. "I'd love to help you out. Maybe I can help you when the pumpkins grow!" He gasped.

Mason laughed. "Now, there's a plan!" He grinned.

Spencer opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by another voice. "SPENCER!" It was Derek. "Where the hell have you been?!" Derek was covered in a sheen of sweat, and was gazing at Spencer, who was crouched next to Mason.

"I..um...was looking for you, actually." Spencer blinked in surprise.

"Dude, football, practice, the practice of the football. You could have found me on the field," Derek informed him. Spencer's mouth opened into a surprised "o". "Don't you have an eidetic memory?"

"Spencer got one hour of sleep," Spencer replied. "Eidetic memory apply mainly to things Spencer reads and sees. One hour sleep, and no read? Spencer's memory go bye bye."

"So does your vocabulary." Derek chuckled. He grasped Spencer's arm and tugged him to his feet. "Hello, sir." Derek inclined his head to Mason, who nodded back.

"Big game soon," Mason commented. "You think you're ready?"

Derek nodded. "Should be." He hadn't sounded too sure of himself. Spencer assumed it was because one of the team's best players was...well...dead.

"Well, good luck," Mason told him. He then directed his attention back to Spencer. "Young man, I hope to see you soon."

Spencer nodded. "Of course!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Hey, I have a great idea." Spencer was seated on his bed, and looked like a chastised child. Derek stood above him with his arms crossed over his chest. "Let's assume there's someone out there killing students, and then go for a walk alone around the grounds. That sounds totally safe and like an idea a genius would come up with," Derek said sarcastically. Spencer rolled his eyes.

"To be fair, I was looking for you...and I wasn't alone," he responded. He leaned beside himself and picked up his journal, he'd hoped Derek would take the hint to stop talking as he untied the bow.

"Why were you hanging around the groundskeeper, anyway?" Derek inquired. He sat on the bed next to Spencer, and Spencer quickly slammed the journal shut again, he tied the bow with shaky hands, he hadn't wanted Derek to see anything inside.

"I was curious about the pumpkin growing process," Spencer answered. At Derek's blank look he continued, "I've never carved one!"

Derek snorted. "Yeah, because that's a life goal."

Spencer shrugged. "It's on my bucket list."

"You have a bucket list?" Derek asked him in disbelief. He stared at Spencer like he was insane when the boy nodded. "You're fifteen."

"Turning sixteen," Spencer defended himself. "Besides, you never know."

"Spencer Reid has a bucket list," Derek mused. He shook his head. "I have to know what's on this list."

Spencer opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by Emily, who stormed into the room. She'd shut the door abnormally softly, considering her composure. "Aaron was right," she told them. She walked forward and sat down on Derek's bed, which was closest to Spencer's. "Strauss is whacked."

"I don't think Aaron was the first one to come up with that theory," Derek responded. Emily glared at him.

"You don't get it," Emily said. She ran a hand through her hair, soft and straight. "Let me ask you a question, how many times have you seen Strauss panic?"

"I've only been here for a week and four days," Spencer answered blankly. Emily rolled her eyes.

"Very few times," Derek replied. He eyed Emily cautiously. "Why?"

"Because I overheard her in her office, and she was talking to someone while freaking out," Emily informed them. Both of Derek's eyebrows raised and Spencer just looked between the two of them. "She's been a mess since the second death, guys. A mess."

"Two students died exactly a week apart, I'd be a bit freaked, too," Derek countered. Emily glowered at him.

"I thought you were on board that there's something weird going on here," she said. She sounded almost disappointed.

"I'm fully on board with that," Derek stated. "I'm just saying we can't look too far into everything."

"When did you become Aaron?" She joked. Derek glared at her. "Also, for the love of God, if you're not going to be any help at least take a shower. You smell."

"That's because I actually play a sport, princess," he shot back. He pushed up off of Spencer's bed, gave the kid a pat on the back which had almost sent him tumbling face first into the blankets, and then brushed past Emily. "Shower it is."

Emily released a sigh of mild frustration after Derek left, and then looked back at Spencer, who stared at her wide eyed. The two of them hadn't really spent much time alone together. He liked Emily, but she wasn't very open, and neither was he. It made for very quiet, awkward, conversations.

"This whole thing might just be stupid, right?" She inquired. He blinked in surprise at the note of fear in her voice. "I mean, we're probably just a bunch of bored teenagers looking for a mystery."

Spencer struggled to come up with an answer. He hadn't a clue how to respond to that. He'd been telling it to himself for the whole time he'd attended school. "I don't know," he said honestly. "But I know I've never been in a situation like this."

Emily laughed, it was rather dull, and held almost no tone of humor to it. "I've been in plenty of...uncomfortable situations," she revealed slowly. "I mean, my Mom is an ambassador. I'm surrounded by politics. It rarely gets much scarier than that."

"Never really did care much for politics." Spencer nodded along to her. "It's all too..." He paused, unable to think of the correct word.

"Political?" Emily joked. Spencer laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I get what you mean."

Spencer recalled his conversation with Mason, and bit his lip. He gathered up the courage to ask Emily one of the first ever personal questions he'd asked of her, "Hey Emily?" She nodded her head, he had her full attention. "What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Emily appeared stunned by the question. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, and then she just looked around the room, as though she were to gain inspiration. "That's a loaded question," she admitted.

"I know," Spencer sounded apologetic. "I just...I was thinking about it earlier...and I don't know."

"You're a genius," Emily pointed out, she'd almost looked amused by Spencer's remark. "What can't you do?"

"Sports," Spencer answered. Emily blinked in surprise, and Spencer slowly smiled. She laughed.

"Well, unless you're planning to become a football player, I think you're good." She continued to laugh. She really had a nice laugh, he thought, she should laugh a bit more. She had a tendency to be a bit too serious, and her humor was always more of the dry kind.

"Please, the chances of a high school football player ever making it to the NFL is 1 in 6,000," Spencer scoffed.

"Don't tell that to Derek," Emily replied in amusement. "You might just break his heart."

"Is that what Derek wants to do?" Spencer inquired. "Join the NFL?"

Emily paused, her mouth halfway open and her eyes once again darted around the room. She closed her mouth, and her eyebrows knit together. "Damn," she cursed. "I don't know."

"Isn't it scary?" Spencer asked. "I mean, we're all going to be going into the real world, where we'll have to pick careers, buy an apartment, learn to live by ourselves...it's scary."

"The living by myself part sounds pretty nice," Emily said honestly. "You know? Getting my own place. Not having to live off of anything my Mother has given me. Becoming my own person." She looked wistful.

"I guess that's your current dream," Spencer pointed out. Emily once again looked at him in confusion.

"What's that?" She asked.

"Independance," Spencer stated.

Emily looked at him for a little while, and then slowly smiled. "Independance," she mused. "Yeah, I guess it is." She shook her head, as if breaking out of a trance. "What about you, genius? You crave independence?"

Spencer thought that over for a moment before he replied, "I've never really have had to. I just kind of always have been."

"Oh come on." Emily didn't look like she believed him one bit. "You're a little mini-genius who has skipped two grades, could have skipped more, and you have a library in your head. You're telling me your parents didn't wrap you in bubble wrap to make sure nobody could touch you?"

Spencer smiled fondly. "My Mom would have if she could have," he answered earnestly. "My Father..." He stopped himself, let the sentence hang in the air.

Emily stared at him expectantly, but then her face switched to something almost of apprehension. Spencer had known that meant something else was coming. "You never did tell us why you didn't skip more grades..."

"I haven't even been here for two weeks yet," Spencer pointed out with a lopsided smile. "Aren't I supposed to keep some mystery to stay interesting?"

"I repeat, you're a genius with a library in your head. You could write us your auto-biography and you'd still be interesting," she joked. Spencer let out a small laugh.

After another lull in the conversation, Emily spoke up again, "I get it, you know?"

It was then Spencer's turn to look confused. "Get what?"

"Not wanting to talk about your personal life too much," Emily explained. "In case you haven't noticed, none of us are too open, either."

"Eh." Spencer shook the remark off dismissively. "Like I said, we haven't even known each other two weeks."

"Eh, well, don't expect the life stories to be pouring out any time soon," Emily warned him. "Especially not from Derek. I've known him for years, and I still barely know anything about his personal life."

Spencer felt his heart rate speed up at that, and felt himself grow impossibly more confused. Derek's gesture to him had been touching, and had let Spencer in on a very personal aspect of him. He still hadn't been sure if he totally understood Derek's motive behind it, but he still couldn't help but appreciate it. Sometimes he'd felt as though the whole night was just a dream.

"If we discover that something is happening," It took Spencer a moment to realize Emily had begun speaking again. "Are you just going to go home?"

Spencer frowned. "Are you?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Unless more than half of the student population drops dead, I'm pretty much stuck here. Telling my Mom kids are getting murdered? It wouldn't even been the most ridiculous excuse I've used to get out of here."

"Do you hate it here?" Spencer asked.

"Can't stand it," Emily answered immediately. Spencer raised both his eyebrows, and she didn't even change expressions. "Like you said, I want independance. I want to be on my own, not crammed in some sad excuse for a school where kids can drop dead and in less than a week people are already back to normal."

"How are they doing it?" Spencer inquired. "Getting back to normal," he elaborated. "I... I have the image of that girl stuck in my head, still," he admitted. "I can't get rid of it."

"Good," Emily stated. Spencer looked at her with hurt and astonishment. "Not good that you're suffering, but good that you actually feel something. People are just trying to push it out of their mind, continue with their perfect lives, so they're believing whatever is fed to them by the school. People honestly think that football player just left school, and that the OD is a rumor. Be glad you're not like that. You're too human."

"I'm still trying to figure out if humanity is a win or not," Spencer admitted shyly. His voice had been barely audible.

"Humanity sucks ass," Emily informed him honestly. Spencer let out a surprised laugh at the bluntness of the statement. "It does! But it's better than the alternative."

"Because the alternative is what the monsters are," Spencer said sadly.

"The monsters?" Emily asked in amusement.

"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win," Spencer quoted. Emily looked at him blankly. "It's a quote by Stephen King," he explained.

"Of course it is." She still looked amused. "What's it mean? That we're all monsters?"

"I personally think it means we all have the potential to be," Spencer responded. "But it's whether or not we let the monsters inside of us win. With compassion, and humanity, we can all be good people. But without that?" The final question hung in the air.

"Damn," Emily cursed. "I thought you usually had to be high to have this type of deep discussion." She grinned.

"High or fearing for your life." Spencer shrugged. "Normally the only two options."

"Sad but true," Emily agreed. "Sad but true."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Has anyone found anything out on Kathryne?" Aaron inquired. They were all seated for dinner, once again, at their own table. Squished together, so that no one could hear their conversation.

"What's there to find out?" Penelope asked. She took a long sip of her drink before she continued, "I checked her records, she was a clean student with no health problems."

"How many criminal offenses do you make per week?" Spencer asked.

Penelope gave him a sly look and replied, "Don't ask questions that you can't handle the answer to." She then wiggled her eyebrows. Most of the table cracked up.

"We've practically interrogated the entire football team," Aaron continued. "Has anyone spoken to Kathryne's friends?"

"They scare me more than the football team," Penelope answered honestly. David and Emily cracked up.

"Why are they scary?" Spencer asked curiously. They all gave him a look that Spencer didn't quite understand, so he'd just continued to blink innocently.

"He's adorable!" Penelope cooed. She reached over the table and ruffled his hair. He frowned and pouted, his hair a wavy mess.

Spencer's frown deepened, but into one of deep thought. "Didn't you say Jennifer was close to her?" He inquired softly. His eyes drifted over to the table which the girl in question was seated at. The blonde had still looked depressed, her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail, bags under her eyes, and her whole body looked as though it was purely exhausted.

Jennifer hadn't been brought up many more times in the small time he'd been there. Penelope had been the one to mostly bring her up, and tried to interact with her a few times. The others didn't speak of her much.

"Jennifer was probably one of her best friends," Emily said. "Why?"

"You guys said you used to be friends with Jennifer," Spencer recalled. "Why not just try to ask her?"

All of them, minus Penelope, looked at him as though he'd grown another head. "Yeah, Spencer." David looked at him with exasperation, it bordered on annoyance. "Have you not been paying attention to why that wouldn't work?"

"It doesn't seem like she hates you." Spencer continued to stare them innocently. "It just seems like she's busy."

"He's right," Penelope spoke up before anyone else had gotten the chance to argue Spencer's point. "If we can just find a time where she's not busy we could talk to her."

"Good luck with that." David snorted.

"Try to talk to her after soccer practice," Spencer recommended. "Right before, or after, she hits the showers. You might be able to get her before anyone else can."

"Good deal!" Penelope nodded her head and stuck her fist out. Spencer stared at it, and then back to her in confusion.

"Dude." David stared at him, and then back to Penelope's fist. "It's a fist-bump."

"A what?" Spencer asked in confusion. Penelope still hadn't put down her fist, and he continued to stare at it.

"Make a fist," Derek instructed. Spencer just stared at him in confusion, and then slowly obeyed as he closed up his hand. "Now bump it into hers."

"...You want me to hit her fist?!" He asked in horror. He stared at Derek like he'd just asked him to set a group of kittens on fire.

"Oh for the love of." Derek rolled his eyes and then looked at David, who was across from him. "Hey, David, fist bump it." He stuck out his fist, and David took out his own and they bumped them gently together. Then immediately extracted the fist.

Spencer frowned, not entirely grasping the concept or the point of it. But when he saw Penelope's fist was still out, and she gazed at him expectantly, he closed his own, once again forming a fist, and lightly bumped it into her fist. Thus, he repeated the movements he'd just seen David and Derek do, and then immediately extracted the fist.

"There we go!" Derek gripped his shoulder and shook it. Spencer frowned, he really hadn't understood their gestures of affection.

"So, we kidnap Jennifer after soccer practice and interrogate her?" Emily inquired. She raised both her eyebrows. "Yeah, sounds simple."

"Or, I'll just take her aside and talk to her," Penelope suggested. She then narrowed her eyes and looked around the table "Alone."

"I still don't understand how on earth you're going to do this subtly," David said, his doubt apparent in his voice.

"Derek managed," Penelope pointed out.

"That's different, they're his fellow football players! You talking to Jennifer will be like 'Hey! we haven't spoken in awhile! By the way, was your now dead best friend acting weird before she dropped?'. It's not going to end well," David told her. Most of the table glared at him.

"I'll handle it," Penelope assured him. "Jennifer and I were just about best friends." Her eyes then lit up. "Maybe I should bring Spencer! Spencer's little and cute!"

"I'm fifteen," Spencer whined. "I'm not cute...and I'm about to reach a growth spurt," he sounded highly indignant, and most of the people at the table had to swallow down their laughter.

"Yes, young man." David reached across to give Spencer's head a few pats. "I'm sure you'll be a big tall boy one day."

Spencer's glare probably felt deadly to him, but he looked more like an angry kitten to everyone else, who had to once again swallow their laughter. "Men can grow until the age of twenty-five," Spencer informed them. "I still have plenty of time."

"Have you even reached puberty?" Derek teased him. Spencer glared at him, and Derek just continued to grin.

"Most boys hit puberty between 9 and 14," Spencer stated grudgingly.

Derek continued to grin. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Oh leave him alone." Penelope glared at Derek from across the table. "Spencer, sweetie, next time sit between me and Emily. We'll be nice to you."

"Damn." Derek held a hand to his chest mock discouragement and hurt. "Here for only a little over the week and you're already stealing my girls, pretty boy?"

"Your girls?!" Emily cried out in disgust.

"Pretty boy?" David questioned around the same time.

"He's pretty, and he's a boy, I know you're bad at math, but put two and two together," Derek replied to David, and then just winked at Emily, who pretended to gag.

"You just called a boy pretty," David still sounded stunned. "Something you want to tell us?"

"Yes." Derek nodded. "He." He gestured to Spencer. "Is pretty, and I'm comfortable enough with my sexualty to say that." David groaned. "You know, David, girls like confidant guys. Try it. You might get laid."

"Why couldn't they have put me on a different floor?" Spencer asked with despair. The whole table erupted in laughter, and they all received glares from the tables that surrounded them.

"Okay," Aaron sobered up first. "So, the plan is for Penelope to talk to Jennifer tomorrow, be subtle, see what you can find out."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" She saluted him.

"What about the rest of us?" Emily asked.

"Well, apparently Spencer's job is to sit around and look pretty," David quipped. Spencer gave him another angry kitten glare, and Penelope smacked him on the arm.

Derek and David then begun to banter back and forth, with the occasional witty remark added from either Emily or Penelope, while Aaron facepalmed, and looked through the cracks of his fingers at Haley, who was seated a few tables away.

Spencer couldn't help but think how these were the only people that truly wanted to look into if anything terrible was happening at the school...

They were all screwed.


	5. Chapter 5

Spencer hated mornings.

It wasn't always that way. He'd never hated them before, when he'd had the ability to have coffee, but since he'd arrived boarding school? He loathed it.

Waking up in the morning used to actually be one of his favorite things. He'd even used to wake up so early that he could watch the sunrise. He never had liked going to bed very much, since he'd always found himself being haunted by nightmares, so when he went to bed it always had felt as though he were setting himself up for whatever terrible things that his mind could conjure up, which, considering that he was a reader, was quite a lot. He had also been chronically terrified of the dark. His Father hadn't allowed him to sleep with his light on, which was one of the reasons he'd end up cuddled up with his Mom while she read to him until he felt safe enough to return to his own bedroom. Sometimes it would be at the oddest hours, luckily his parents started sleeping in separate rooms when he was little. Though, he was pretty sure his Father knew he still went in to sit with his Mother after his nightmares, but there were some cases even a lawyer knew he couldn't win.

Besides, anyone who thought they could tear Spencer Reid away from his Mother's grasp had another thing coming. Ill or not, Diana Reid would never willingly let anyone pull her son away from her. No matter how bad his Mother's schizophrenia would get, she would always try to do the best thing for him. Even though she wasn't always capable, Spencer never loved her any less, because she'd always tried. She always tried, and she had always cared. Unlike his Father, who was too busy being a success that he hadn't the time for either of them. Most of his clients were beyond wealthy, and he never could seem to lose a case. That's what paid the bills after his Mother had become too ill to work, and that was what had been paying for his boarding school. But he'd have traded all the money in the world to be with his Mother again.

"Spencer." Aaron shook him. He apparently hadn't noticed the fact that Spencer was already awake. "Come on, gotta get up."

"Go 'way." He smacked Aaron's hands away. He was tired and sad. He'd wanted to lay in bed and wallow in self-pity. He was pretty sure he had earned it at that point.

"They have french toast in the dining hall today." Aaron attempted to lure him out with promises of incredible food. But it didn't make any difference. Spencer was sad, tired, and stubborn.

"Not hungry," Spencer muttered. He wrapped both his arms around his pillow tightly, and hung on for dear life.

"I swear to god, kid." That was Derek, and he'd sounded cranky and tired. Not a good combination for the boy. Aaron had probably been forced to shake him awake, as well. "If I have to carry your skinny as downstairs I'm not going to be happy." Spencer heard the shuffling of blankets, and then felt Aaron's hand that still rest on his back stiffen.

"What the hell happened to you?" Aaron's voice had been at its most serious. That had made Spencer become more alert than the promise of delicious french toast.

"Wha-oh shit," Derek cursed. Spencer finally cracked an eye open, his curiosity peaked, but his eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw what Aaron had been referring to. Derek was a mess. His PJ pants were covered in dirt and leaves, which had transferred onto his bed. His shoes were in the corner of the room, filthy. Spencer attempted not to be amused by the leaves that had transferred to Derek's bed, because he knew where Derek had probably gone to.

"Where the hell did you go last night?" Aaron's voice had almost turned deadly. He had removed the hand from Spencer's back, and approached Derek. His back and muscles taut, both his eyebrows knit together, it was Aaron's way of preparing for a fight.

"Fine, you caught me, I went out for a drink." Derek shrugged, as though it were no big deal. He cast Spencer a look out of the corner of his eye, and Spencer had to withhold a sigh. He'd known what the look meant, it meant he needed to keep his mouth shut.

"I thought we agreed to stick together." Aaron had gotten even closer to Derek, so that they started to get in one another's face. Derek had started to tense up as he got defensive. Spencer was positive wherever the discussion was heading, it wasn't going to end well.

"Man, I went out for a drink. Chill out." Derek tried to brush past Aaron, who gripped his arm tightly, fingers dug into the skin and held Derek in place.

Spencer watched the scene with wide eyes, and much to his humiliation, he had brought his knees him to his chest, and hugged them tightly. He'd always hated fighting. It was all his parents had ever done.

"Get off of me," Derek ordered him. Aaron continued to keep his grip on Derek's arm. "Dude, get off!"

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Aaron barked. Spencer flinched at the volume of his voice. "One of your teams players died, Derek. Does that mean nothing to you?!"

"SCREW YOU!" Derek had gotten right back in Aaron's face. His own voice had risen in volume drastically. Spencer resisted the embarrassing urge to hide his face in the fluffy comfort of his PJ pants. "I care a lot, man. I just wanted a drink."

Aaron's lips were a straight line, his eyes narrowed, and his face one much too serious, and much too dangerous, for his age. "We've been talking about someone killing off sports players, Derek," his voice was even. Deceivingly calm. "So you decide to go outside in the dead of night and get a drink? You couldn't drink in here?"

"I'm not drinking in our dorm room, man. Besides, I'm fine. So what's it matter?" Derek asked.

"IT MATTERS A LOT! I DON'T BUY THE STORY ABOUT THE DAMN DRIN-!" Aaron was shocked when he was cut off by Spencer.

"PLEASE STOP YELLING!" Spencer pleaded. When they both turned to look at the boy they were shocked to see the state that he'd put himself in. His PJ covered legs pulled tight to his chest, his arms wrapped around them as he gripped tightly at the fabric, his eyes wide and afraid. He even rocked himself slightly. "I hate yelling," he continued pitifully.

Derek and Aaron were both silent for awhile, and Spencer could feel each of their gaze on him. The silence was broken by Derek, who must have pitied him, "We'll talk later, man."

There was a moment more of tense silence, before Aaron replied, "Yeah."

After a more calming silence, despite the tension in his room, Spencer had untucked his legs from his chest as he watched the two boys warily. He felt slightly humiliated by his own actions, but their voices had triggered other memories buried deep, ones he hadn't wanted to confront. Aaron then walked over to him, and gripped his wrist to pull him to his feet.

"Get dressed and we'll get some breakfast," he told him softly, comfortingly. A drastic contrast to the tone he'd just used on Derek. Spencer nodded his head, and Aaron then patted him on the back a few times. He saw Derek send him a worried look, but Spencer ignored it as he grabbed his clothes.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Are you two okay?" Emily asked in concern as she observed Derek and Spencer as they took their seats for breakfast. Derek looked annoyed, and exhausted, Spencer just looked depressed. Her eyebrows then nearly raised to her hairline when she saw Aaron walk towards the table, he looked a mix of mad, and concerned. His gaze was mainly on Derek, who glared back at him. The tension between the two hadn't diminished with time.

"Fine," Derek grit out. He still stared at Aaron, eyes narrowed.

"I'm fine," Spencer said softly. He looked at Emily through his lashes, she hadn't looked like she bought it at all. She looked between the three of them, and Spencer hung his head and allowed his hair cover his face some. He didn't want to face an interrogation that morning, he felt particularly down. He hadn't even been feeling home-sick as much as he simply felt as though he missed his Mother, but if the phrase home is where the heart is meant anything, than he assumed it was one in the same.

"You two need a nap," Penelope observed as she sat down. Her bright blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail to form a giant spiral curl, held by a bright pink elastic. "You look exhausted."

"Long night, babygirl," Derek told her. He looked down at his food with distaste, Spencer followed suit.

"Ohhhh." Penelope grinned from ear to ear and leaned over the table with a flirtatiously. "Do tell." She winked.

Derek paused for a moment. His grumpy expression slowly changed, and his signature grin begun to spread on his face before he let out a deep chuckle. "Oh babygirl," he chuckled out. "You surely know how to pick a man up."

"I also know how to lay them down." She winked again, and Derek blew her a kiss. She caught it in the air, kissed her fist, and then threw it back. Derek caught it, and held it to his own chest.

Spencer looked between the two of them with tired confusion. It had become a regular thing since he'd been there, but he had yet to grow used to it. It had been incredibly hard to. He'd never really seen anything like it, and no one around him had been able to answer any of his questions about it. Just that they weren't dating, but that it was who they were. The nicknames, the kisses, the never ending flirting. Some of the nicknames he hadn't even understood, but he never questioned either of them about it directly. They were both who they were, and it seemed to make them happy. Didn't mean he understood it, it just meant he had to adapt to it. Slowly, but surely.

"Well, you guys look like hell," David stated as he sat down at the table, same side as Penelope and Emily. "Aaron looks like he is about to start a war, so my assumption is he's pissed at Derek, who keeps staring at Aaron every two seconds, and Spencer." He paused, and just stared at Spencer. Spencer looked back at him tiredly. He saw David's face soften, so he assumed he must look pretty pathetic. "You need to catch some extra shut-eye."

"Is it still the beds?" Penelope inquired of him sympathetically. "Or are you home-sick?" When she saw the expression on Spencer's face, it was as though her whole body transformed into one of someone who had just seen a puppy sitting out in the rain. "Oh! You poor thing!"

"I'm fine," Spencer assured her. He tried to offer her a smile, but it was a sad excuse for one. It just seemed to make her look more sympathetic, like she wanted to shower him with sugar and hugs. A quick glance around the table showed him most of them looked like that, just a tad bit less dramatic about it.

"This has been a hard start to the year," Aaron said slowly. Spencer had cast a look in his direction, and saw that it looked as though he was picking his words very wisely. Cautiously. "It's scary enough entering a place like this, but this year..." He trailed off and sighed. "It's gotta be hard."

"I'm fine." Spencer stood his ground with the issue. He wasn't one to talk about his problems, he'd never actually had a person to talk about them with. Even with his Mom, he hadn't wanted to pile anything else on her. He'd cuddle up beside her, and she'd read to him, but he didn't tell her about his problems, even if she suspected he had some.

"It's okay not to be," Aaron reminded him gently. "You're just a kid."

Spencer frowned at him. "I'm only two years younger than you," he pointed out.

"You're a kid," Derek said plainly. Spencer pouted and glared at him. Derek chuckled in response. "See? Kid."

Spencer's eyes shifted around the table, everyone had been staring at him with concern. It was uncomfortable, and he had begun to squirm in his seat under the scrutiny of their gazes. He'd never had so many people being concerned for him, and it terrified him to a degree. He hadn't a clue how to react to the pressure of it.

"So..." He fought for a subject changer. "Have you thought of what you're going to say to Jennifer, Penelope?" The subject change had sounded like a much smoother transition in his head, but when spoken it came off apprehensive and obvious, which made most of the people at the table roll their eyes at him.

"Yes, thoroughly. Nothing for you to worry about, my love," she told him. She cast a glance over to Jennifer's table. The girl made Spencer and Derek look well-rested. She had her head resting in her left hand, and was staring at her food with disinterest. Her friends were flocked around her, one rubbed her back while the other talked to her with concern.

"So, Derek," David swiftly changed the subject once again. But he grinned at Derek, almost evilly. "What'd you do?"

"Snuck out last night for a drink," Derek replied simply. He continued to eat, and ignored the shocked expressions from the rest of the table. Spencer was stiff at his side, and he felt Derek bump his foot. He took it as an order to stay silent on the matter.

"There are people dying, Derek," Emily grit out. Her voice was hushed, so the people around wouldn't overhear. "You can't sneak out for a drink!"

"I was out and in," Derek defended mildly. He didn't show any type of concern towards the matter.

"Oh sweetie," Penelope's voice was laced with sympathy, and Spencer felt Derek stiffen even more beside him. "Was it one of those nights?" She asked cryptically.

Spencer frowned and looked between the two of them. He'd hated being new, he had no idea what they were talking about half the time, and he was too scared to ask any questions. By the look on Derek's face, he could tell that the boy wasn't in the mood for sharing and caring time, either. So he kept his mouth shut and put his head back down.

"Don't know what you mean," Derek said. He shoveled some food into his mouth. He hadn't looked hungry in the least, so Spencer assumed it was more of a mix of a distraction and an attempt at dismissal.

"Your brooding nights," Emily elaborated. Spencer continued to keep his head down, but his eyes still darted around the table with untamed curiosity. Emily caught his eye, and begun to explain, "Derek has these nights when he's mad at the world, and the next morning he's always a total grump with a hangover."

"So, pretty much nothing has changed," David joked. Aaron and Emily both laughed quietly, while Penelope, Derek, and Spencer just sat there. Penelope looked concerned, Derek looked annoyed, and Spencer just looked confused.

"Maybe it's seasonal depression," Emily guessed. The whole table, except Spencer, looked at her like she'd grown another head. She opened her mouth to elaborate, but Spencer got a head start,

"Seasonal affective disorder," Spencer declared. His voice was in lecture mode, and most of the table groaned. "It is also known as SAD-." He was cut off by David's 'I wonder why' and Emily's 'Gotta love acronyms'. He simply continued as though they hadn't spoken. "It's a type of depression, but it only occurs during a certain time of year. Primarily, the symptoms start in fall and may continue into the winter months. It takes away your energy and makes you feel moody. The treatments for seasonal affective disorder include-."

"I get it," Derek cut him off with a glare. "I don't have seasonal...whatever disorder."

"Season affective disorder," Spencer corrected him. Derek's glare increased in intensity, and Spencer immediately focused back on his food and begun rapidly shoveling it into his mouth. He wished they weren't out of blueberry syrup. He had always eaten french toast with blueberry syrup. It was the perfect mixture.

"He's right," David agreed. "He's moody all year round." Derek chucked a piece of french toast at David's head. It smacked him in the face, and left a sticky pad of syrup there as it slowly dripped down onto the table.

"My point has been proven," David said calmly as he picked up a napkin and wiped at his face.

"I would appreciate it if you didn't toss food in the dining hall." The voice of Erin Strauss had made everyone's heads snap up to look at the woman. Their eyes widened considerably once they did so. Erin Strauss had been looking less put together since the deaths, but she looked an absolute mess that day. Her hair haphazard, her clothes wrinkled, and dark circles prominent underneath her critical eyes.

"Sorry, ma'am," Derek apologized rather sarcastically. "The food was just so good, that I felt the need to share."

Erin gave him an unamused stare, her mouth frowned to show her displeasure. Frown lines had begun to surround her mouth, and the little makeup she had on looked smeared. She hadn't looked at all like the prim and proper Erin Strauss that they were accustomed to. "I see that Mr. Rossi has his own plate of food, there is no reason for you to, oh how did you so adequately put it? Share it with him."

David smiled smugly at Derek, who just glared back at him. "Mr. Rossi, you might want to go to bathroom. The napkin is not getting rid of that syrup. It's just getting caught in it," she quipped one last time as she walked away. David frowned and sped up his movements with the napkin, while the rest of the table cracked up.

"Good God, she looked horrible," Emily observed. She watched as Erin primly sat down at her table and begun to eat her food. The fork in her hand shook.

"You still want to hit that?" Derek asked David. David looked both ways, and then tossed a piece of french toast at Derek, who caught it midair with a napkin. He grinned at David and ate the piece of it.

"Delicious," he remarked.

"Everyone knock it off," Aaron hissed. The whole table sobered up, and leaned into the middle. "We really need to figure this all out," Aaron whisper-informed them.

"I'll talk to Jennifer after soccer practice," Penelope promised them. She eyed Spencer and Derek critically. "While you two little angels get some sleep."

"Angels, babygirl?" Derek inquired with amusement. "You're going to go that route?"

"One angel." She nodded towards Spencer. She then licked her lips and looked Derek up and down with appreciation. "One God." She winked.

"Oh, oh come on." Emily groaned and put her head in her hands. "Once you start bringing religion into this, I think we're going too far."

"Thank God this isn't a religion based school," David agreed. "You two would have been submerged in holy water by this point."

"Of course, the Catholic speaks." Derek snorted. He continued to eat his food, unperturbed.

"You're Catholic?" Spencer asked David with interest. David nodded.

"Mhm," he hummed. "Was raised in the church."

"The Catholic church is the largest Christian church, with over 1.2 billion members worldwide," Spencer informed all of them. No one looked interested, not even in the least. But the young genius didn't seem to mind, or really notice. "Catholic tradition holds that-."

"Spencer," David cut him off. He gave the boy a look. "We all know enough about the Catholic church."

"What's it like to have all that information up there?" Penelope inquired. She tapped her head, as if Spencer wouldn't get what she spoke of. "Is it like, a million different voices spouting information at you at once?"

"I like the analogy of a faucet of information that occasionally unwantedly drips." Spencer smiled. He took another large bite of the french toast, as his mood improved, it seemed as though the food had, as well. Since it had no longer seemed to taste like spruced up cardboard.

"Heh sounds about right," David agreed. He eyed Spencer's plate. "You going to eat that turkey sausage or just let it sit there?"

Penelope whacked him on the arm. "Back off! He needs the protein!"

Spencer just grinned, stabbed the turkey sausage with a knife, and reached across to drop it on David's plate. The boy grinned at Penelope triumphantly, as he pierced it with his own fork and took a large bite out of it.

Spencer shook his head, but then he refocused on Derek and frowned.

Something was definitely wrong.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had just left his AP chemistry course, it was officially the start of their free-time. Some of the students were going to practice for their sports, others were off to study, and he was off to the garden. Penelope was off to ambush Jennifer, he'd run into her in the hallway and she had given him a confidant thumbs up.

"You just going to wait for practice to end?" He had asked her at lunch. She said she was going to sit in wait, and then when it was done run straight up to Jennifer.

'Good luck,' he mouthed out to her as he passed her. She grinned and waved at him.

"Penelope Garcia, huh?" One kid asked him. Spencer frowned, he had almost walked directly into the boy. He was tall, and hovered over him. His hair a dark jet black, and slicked back with much too much hair gel. His eyes had matched his hair color, and would have frightened Spencer with the intensity if he hadn't already been so used to Aaron's.

"She's my friend," Spencer replied simply. He went to walk around the boy, his social interactions at school hadn't been plentiful. He had preferred it that way. He'd been beaten up and brutalized at his old school, and so far he hadn't even been hit once. ...Except the odd shoulder, back, and fist hits that he was pretty sure were supposed to be affectionate.

The boy apparently didn't want to be dismissed so easily, he gripped Spencer's shoulder. "Is she now?" He grinned at him. Spencer didn't like the looks of it. It was a different grin than Derek's signature one. This one had almost seemed more...threatening. "I've heard quite a bit about you," the boy continued. Spencer shifted uncomfortably. Penelope was long gone, as was any other saving grace he could have. "Apparently there's no subject you can't pass."

Spencer smiled slightly at that. It was always nice to get recognition. "I wouldn't say that," he replied modestly. "But I never have encountered a grade lower than an A. Though, there is probably a subject out there I would be incapable of passing, I'm just yet to find it."

The boy just shook his head and chuckled politely. "Ah, modesty, while it is the best policy, it should never cause you to discredit yourself," the boy advised. "You need recognition for success, you just have to remember to act humbled when it's brought up to you. But never deny it."

Spencer just nodded his head slowly. "Good advice," he'd spoken slowly, unsure of what he should say. "But I've got to-."

"I've also seen you hanging around with the rest of Penelope Garcia's friends," the boy continued. Spencer tried to inch away from him, he wanted to escape the situation entirely. "You know...it's essential for students around here to keep an eye out for one another, you know?" He asked.

Spencer nodded slowly. "I can...um...I can see how that might be important, yes." He looked apprehensively at the other boy. Who stood tall and proud, his clothes ironed to perfection, and his posture perfect. All one would have to do is glance at him for just a mere moment to know that he came from money.

"I must admit, I, well, not just myself, a few other students, are concerned about the fact that the school has stuck you with the roommates you have," the boy explained. Spencer's eyebrows shot up, they peaked over the rims of his big glasses. "Well...it's just...you're an exceptional student...and the people you hang around with have a bit of a tendency for trouble."

"I'm doing just fine, thank you for your concern." Spencer attempted to keep his voice calm and polite, but it came across as more brusque and rude. He decided to turn and walk away, his lack of ability to deal with certain social situations was truly coming to bite him. Just the small interaction with someone who acted less than kind had brought much too many unpleasant memories that bubbled to the surface of his mind.

"Wait!" The voice startled him, as did the hand that clamped down on his arm. He felt trapped, much like how he used to, and he had to force himself to calmly turn towards the boy again. The other boy looked as though he was bordering on regret. "I apologize," he said softly. He was fast to release Spencer's arm from captivity. "I guess the best way to try to make friends with someone isn't to insult their current ones."

"It really isn't," Spencer agreed.

Suddenly, there was a hand thrust in between them. "Liam Lockwood," the boy introduced himself. He said his name with pride, as if it held a world of meaning. Spencer couldn't help but wonder what that felt like, to feel so important. Like your name was made of gold.

"Spencer Reid," Spencer introduced himself meekly. He looked down at the hand. "I don't shake hands."

Liam quickly lowered his hand and nodded. "Fair enough. Never much was one for the sentiment, myself. Rather odd, really."

"The first ever handshake is documented by the monument of Kalhu," Spencer explained to him softly. He shuffled his feet awkwardly as he continued. "Showing the Assyrian king Shalmaneser lll and Marduk-zakir-šumi l of Babylon shaking hands in a public display of Assyro-Babylonian friendship," he continued. "Archaeological ruins and ancient text show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC. The handshake is thought by some to have originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that the hands held no weapon."

"You thinking of taking over our history class?" Liam joked. Spencer smiled in response and shyly shook his head in the negative. "Actually, that's interesting. But then again, so is most history. It's amazing to take a look back, see how far we've come."

"Is it your subject of choice?" Spencer inquired. He still had wanted to get away, but he didn't see the other boy allowing it.

Liam shook his head in the negative. "Every subject is fascinating, in its own right. I'm incredibly gifted at chemistry, especially."

"I noticed you were in the class," Spencer told him. He rubbed his arm awkwardly, not quite comfortable. "Do you want to get involved in a field involving it?"

"Unsure yet, I'm afraid," Liam replied. "My Father is a very successful orthopedic surgeon, and I'm rather sure he'd like me to do something similar." Liam smiled at him. It seemed almost drawn on to Spencer. As though it weren't real. "What about you? Would you like to be a lawyer like your Father?"

Spencer's eyes nearly bugged out of his head like a cartoon character, for the third time that day. He neared certainty that he must have looked comical. "How do you know my Father is a lawyer?" Spencer inquired cautiously. Liam looked at him as though he had grown two heads and started to salsa dance.

"Because your Father is William Reid," Liam answered as though it were obvious. "He's one of the best in the business."

"Oh," Spencer said dumbly. He didn't quite know how to reply to that. He was used to being told how amazing his Father was by adults, but not his peers. "Um, I'm not really interested in becoming a lawyer."

"Ah." Liam nodded. "I suppose I can understand that. From what I hear, you could become anything you could ever possibly want."

"We all can," Spencer stated. Liam looked at him in disbelief. "If everyone tried hard enough, they could be whatever they wanted."

"Some people have more natural abilities than others," Liam argued. His voice was as sure as it was in everything else he had spoken. It must have been nice, Spencer mused, to have such faith and surety in every word you spoke. Despite being a genius, Spencer had still carried around an abundance of insecurity.

"But that's not a reason to stop chasing your passion," Spencer countered. He hadn't a clue as to why he was heading into the discussion. Why he hadn't thought of yet another excuse to run. "I had an Aunt who was a terrible dancer," Spencer begun the story his Mother had told him about many times. "They said she had no rhythm. But she loved it, so she kept trying. People said it was comical to see her dance, that she fell down constantly, that she had two left feet. But she never gave up, and now? She's dancing in competitions around the world." Liam hadn't seemed half as impressed with the story as Spencer always had been. He'd always enjoyed that particular tale. He was told it whenever he doubted his abilities.

"Lovely story," Liam's words hadn't sounded sincere at all. He looked almost bored. "Reminds me of the things you read as a child." Spencer frowned at that, the tone made it sound condescending. "I do believe in hard work, but I feel you need talent to complete it."

"But sometimes hard work shows hidden potential, hidden talent, if you will," Spencer argued back at him. Liam just continued to smile at him.

"Suppose it does," he agreed. He then gave Spencer a pat on the shoulder. "It was nice to finally talk to you, Spencer. If you would ever like to chat further, just come find me." After Spencer nodded to show he understood, Liam turned to walk away. He paused for a moment and turned back. "Also, be careful," he warned. Spencer raised an eyebrow. "Those "friends" of yours, they can be trouble. David Rossi is the one who spiked the punch the first day, and everyone knows it. Hanging around with bad people can hurt your future." Without waiting for a reply from Spencer, he walked away.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

After the conversation with Liam, Spencer had every intent go back to his room instead of the garden. But his legs had other plans. So he'd decided to see if Mason was out. Sure enough, the man was. He had been planting something.

"What are you planting?" Spencer asked curiously. Mason gasped and spun to look at him, eyes wide. "I'm sorry!" Spencer apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you-." He was cut off when Mason begun to laugh.

"Don't apologize," the man told him. "I must just be rather easily startled this fine day." He observed Spencer with evident happiness. "It's good to see you again." He gestured to a spot on the ground beside him. Spencer walked over slowly, and knelt so that his knees didn't touch the ground. He hadn't wanted to ruin his clothes.

"What are you planting?" Spencer repeated his question. He picked up one of the seeds in his palm and looked at it curiously. As though it would grow a pair of lips and tell him what it was.

"Aster," Mason answered proudly. He took the seed from Spencer, and held it with his own glove covered fingers. "While the rest of the garden fades to the seasonal change, Aster will keep it looking bright and beautiful." He then sighed sadly. "Even if it's only for a little while longer."

"Oh." Spencer nodded his head. He then bit his lip and looked over at Mason hesitantly. "Do you need help?"

Mason smirked. "That depends." Spencer raised an eyebrow in inquiry. "Are you willing to get dirty?"

Spencer groaned. He then took in a deep breath, and let his knees connect to the ground beneath him. He looked at Mason and responded, "I assume I can change."

Mason laughed good naturedly and nodded his head in agreement. He then held out another pair of gloves to Spencer. "Fine with me, but if Ms. Strauss catches you filthy, don't expect me to take the fall."

Spencer laughed and accepted the gloves, he put one on each hand. "I won't."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Working alongside Mason had been pleasantly enjoyable for Spencer. He'd helped with the maintenance of the garden that needed to be done that day, and the whole time Mason explained to him about different types of plants, and his work on the grounds. He talked a lot of the time, and then the rest seemed to be pleasant silence. He hadn't expected Spencer to talk much, and Spencer enjoyed being taught.

"Heh," Mason said after awhile of him talking. He looked at Spencer, he looked at ease, but surprised. Spencer hadn't known why he was so surprised, but he decided to wait before he asked. "You're a good listener. Not bad at this stuff, either." He gestured towards the garden. "You keep that up, and I might just have you helping me shovel snow in the winter."

Spencer wrinkled his nose. "Don't they have a snow blower?"

"Oh believe me," Mason begun ruefully. "I've asked. But apparently, I'm their human snowblower. Lovely, isn't it?" He said sarcastically. "They can spend money on all this other stuff they don't need, but they can't buy something that'd actually help the people that work for them."

"I'm sorry," Spencer said softly. "That's awful."

"That's what these jobs are about, I guess," Mason said sadly. He took off his gloves and set them on the grass. He then ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He looked exhausted. But then again, everyone had been looking that way. "Hard work, but no pay. You expect if you work for the rich, you get a lot of money. But when you actually work for the rich? You realize how it is they stay rich."

"My Dad always does leave terrible tips," Spencer responded. "I always have to bring my own money to add to it. I don't think he realizes people basically live off of it." Spencer rolled his eyes. "Then again he never had to," he added the last part ruefully.

"Ah." Mason nodded in understanding. He sat himself down on the green grass, pretzel style. He took a long chug of the water he had brought out with him. "Your Dad born into the good life?"

"Yeah." Spencer removed his own gloves and set them on the grass. He sat next to Mason. "I guess you could say I was, too."

Mason snorted in disbelief. "Sometimes the good life isn't as great as it sounds, kid," Mason said. "You might have been born into a house with cash, but something tells me you weren't born into the good life."

Spencer frowned at him. He couldn't muster up the energy to be insulted, even though Mason acted as though he knew his life story. "You don't know that for a fact."

"Hell no I don't," Mason agreed. "But I know it from your face."

Spencer groaned. "People say that like I have a message written on my forehead or something."

Mason shrugged his shoulders. "Guess you're pretty easy to read," he admitted.

Spencer was pretty much pouting by that point. "Never was told that before now." He paused for a beat. "Well, not by anyone except my Mom. But she always said how a Mom knows. Kind of took her word for it."

"Was it your Mom's choice to send you here, or your Dads?" Mason inquired. Spencer was startled by the question, he hadn't expected another inquiry on his personal life.

"My Dad's," he said honestly. "My Mom would have never allowed for me to be taken this far from her." His voice had begun to crack during the last sentence, Mason noticed it quickly.

"Past tense, huh?" He asked. Spencer didn't reply, didn't have the voice to. "Ah hell, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Spencer replied automatically. He'd heard apologies from the small group of people that actually knew of the situation, he was used to the reply. "It's all fine."

"So," Mason apparently knew what to change the subject. "What do you think of it here?"

"It's...not what I expected," Spencer answered honestly. He could hear the rumbling of the man's chest beside him, and he grinned himself. "I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but this wasn't it."

"Ah, getting in is the hard part," Mason informed him wisely. "But once you get in? You could commit murder and get away with it."

Spencer's head snapped up and he turned to look at Mason, mouth and eyes wide. He soon cursed his reaction when he saw Mason look at him with confusion. His mind raced to think of an excuse, but the statement had caught him so off guard.

"Are you alrigh-." Mason was cut off by a new voice. One that Spencer had grown used to.

"Spencer!" Derek called out. He was once again covered in sweat, his breathing labored. He looked at Spencer up and down...and then, he laughed. "The hell happened to you?!"

Spencer realized he must have been a sight. He was always focused on being clean, constantly. He was a classic germaphobe. So the sight of him seated in the grass, his clothes covered in dirt and grass strains, must have been something of a shock. He was pretty sure he even had dirt on his cheeks. He had an inch.

"Gardening," he answered sheepishly. Derek stuck a hand out to him, and Spencer had given him his wrist so that he could be pulled up. He was pretty sure his rear was covered in grass and dirt, as well. He hadn't thought of the embarrassment that the walk back to the room like that could bring.

"I can see that." Derek looked him up and down in amusement. "Man, you get pissy with me when I leave my clothes on the floor, and now you're covered in shit."

Spencer frowned in confusion. "No I'm not." He wondered if Derek didn't quite understand what they were doing. "It's just dirt and grass."

"I wasn't being literal." Derek sighed in annoyance. He recovered quickly enough to throw an arm around the boy. He cast a glance at Mason. "Hey man, you're breaking him out of his shell."

Mason inclined his head towards them. "Happy to help," he said. He then smiled softly at Spencer. "Thank you for your company, and your helping hand."

"Thank you for your knowledge and time," Spencer countered. He smiled kindly back at the man and offered him a wave as Derek walked him off.

Spencer wrinkled his nose in disgust when he breathed in through his nose. "Please put your arm down," he begged. "You smell."

"I smell?" Derek asked, stunned. "You're covered in dirt!"

"Yet I still smell better than you," Spencer argued. "That might be a problem." He brought a finger up to plug his nose dramatically.

"You know what? Just for that." Spencer let out a cry of horror as his face was brought even closer to Derek's armpit. He whacked the man uselessly on his chest.

"NO! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! YOU SMELL LIKE BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS!" He cried out. Derek laughed heartily and released Spencer. The boy inched far away so he could put some distance between them. Derek laughed harder, he looked a lot better than he had that morning. More carefree, and less haunted.

"Seriously, though, man, gardening?" Derek asked him. Spencer glared at him and wrapped his arms around himself. They passed a few people, who looked at him like he was clinically insane, and a few girls giggled.

"It was fun," he defended sullenly. Derek went to approach him, probably to throw an arm around him again, but Spencer squeaked and put distance between them again.

"Whatever, man, we both need a shower." Derek shook his head in amusement. "Strauss is going to murder you if she sees you looking like this."

"Well I plan to very quickly take a shower and change, so hopefully she won't find out," Spencer said. He walked especially fast, he hadn't even thought of getting caught covered in dirt.

"Those pants are so stained." Derek snickered as he walked at the same rushed pace beside him. "You're so screwed."

"I can get them out with rubbing alcohol or vinegar...also banana oil and molasses," Spencer informed him. He ignored the weird look Derek gave him.

"I'd go with the rubbing alcohol," he said slowly. "Probably easiest."

"Yeah," Spencer agreed. "You're probably right." He then paused and gripped Derek's arm, they were just about to head for the stairs to get to their room. "Hey, by the way." He'd quieted his voice, Derek stared at him in concern. "Are you okay?"

Derek frowned at him. "Yeah, why?"

"Because earlier-." Derek cut him off quickly.

"I told you, kid, sometimes I need to just get away," Derek said. His tone showed he was not in the mood for a discussion on the matter, so Spencer let it drop.

"Why did you have to tell them you drinking instead of just telling them the truth?" Spencer inquired.

"Why? Are you going to tell them the truth?" Derek's voice grew more confrontational, and Spencer automatically shrunk away from him.

"Of course not!" He cried out. "I just don't get why you would rather them think you snuck out just to get drunk."

"Technically it's not a lie," Derek admitted. Spencer looked at him, confused. "I got drunk, too. Part of the reason for the bad mood earlier. Hangover is a bitch."

"Aaron was right about it not being safe, you know," Spencer softly reminded him. Derek huffed in annoyance. "I'm just...I don't want." He kicked his foot on the ground. "I don't want you dead."

Derek stilled. He then smiled a little bit, and rest a hand on Spencer's shoulder. "Hey." Spencer looked up at him. "I don't want you dead, either." He grinned, and Spencer smiled back. "I'll be fine, I promise. Now come on, it might just be me but those stains look like they're multiplying."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had felt immense relief after a shower and a change of clothes. When Aaron had seen himself and Derek walk into the shared room, he'd immediately asked what the hell had happened to them. After the explanation that Spencer had been gardening, the boy had actually laughed.

When Spencer and Derek re-entered the bedroom, they were greeted by the sight of the rest of their little "group".

"Ah, there's my man, all sexy and wet." Penelope winked at Derek. Spencer scurried away from the both of them towards his own bed, which he immediately climbed onto.

"That kid is going to leave here with a complex." David laughed.

"Penelope how'd your talk with Jennifer go?" Spencer immediately dove right into it. He had not wanted the focus to be on his potential "complex".

"That's what I was waiting for you lovelies to talk about!" Her chipper voice hadn't matched the troubled expression on her face. She took in a deep breath. "So, I did get a chance to talk to her."

The rest of the room waited, but Penelope didn't continue. "Okkkaayyy," David said. "Then what?"

"Oh! Right! Well, I started casually talking to her, and she kept inching away because she wanted to shower, but I kept on her. Y'know? Asked about her life, said we need to catch up, that sorta thing," Penelope explained.

"...please tell me you actually asked about Kathryne," David said.

Penelope rolled her eyes. "Of course I did! I may be blonde, but I am not a dumb blonde," Penelope informed them. "I made small talk, y'know? I just didn't want to dive right into it. But then I asked her how she was doing. Easing into it, that whole thing. Anyway, she started by saying she was fine, but like I said, obvi not a dumb blonde, so I got her to talk a bit more, because I am the mystical magical princess of persuasion." She added a tiny little seated bow. "She told me she's been struggling a tad, since Kathryne was like, her BFF-."

"What's that?" Spencer asked blankly.

"Best friend forever," Penelope explained. "Like we talked about at breakfast, the beautiful world of acronyms." She smiled.

Spencer just nodded, pretended he understood.

"Anyway," Penelope continued. "I asked her if she knew Kathryne had medical problems, which we all know she didn't, and Jennifer confirmed that. She said Kathryne was totally healthy, and had no history of any medical complications. No stress, either. In fact, she said Kathryne was totally healthy, totally happy, and everything was going great for her. She just, dropped," Penelope explained.

"Did she think it was weird?" Aaron asked her.

"That's the interesting part, m'dear." Penelope bit her lip and nervously played with her hair, which she had let down out of her ponytail. "She started to tell me something...strange." Everyone leaned in with interest. "She said it was weird, because before Kathryne...passed...she said something to her."

Aaron looked at her expectantly. "What did she say?"

Penelope sighed sadly. "That's the part the sucks about all this, my lovelies. All I could get out of her was that Kathryne said something about her drink. She was going to tell me the full thing, but one of her friend said how they needed to hit the showers so they could hang out and blah blah. She never got a chance to finish it."

The whole room was silent, that was, until David spoke. "Something about her drink, huh?" He looked at Spencer. "You just might have been right, kid."

"So is this, like, confirmation?" Penelope asked warily. "Are people really getting killed?"

The room was silent. Aaron was the first to speak. "It's not concrete," he said softly. "We still don't know what she said about her drink, and we still have no proof that anything was put in it."

"You don't have to be Nancy Drew to put all this together." David sighed. He rubbed his temples with his fingers, his eyes closed. "What the hell does this even mean? That one person is going to die per-week? That's insane."

"Maybe." Aaron released a long breath and shrugged. "Or maybe not. So far, two kids have died exactly a week apart. Could be a pattern, could be anything. I'd think one kid a week would end up being pretty obvious at some point."

"Please." David snorted. "The whole student population could drop dead at once and they'd find some way to cover it up."

"What?" Derek asked cynically. "No faith in your girlfriend?"

"Go screw yourself, man," David snapped back at him and picked a pillow up off the floor to throw up at Derek, who was seated on his bed. The boy caught the pillow immediately, and threw it back at him. The soft plush of the pillow hit David in the face, a light smack was heard, and David's face grew more angry.

"Both of you two, calm down," Aaron snapped at them. "This is more important than your petty arguments. This could be life or death, and we've got to be careful."

"What do we do?" Penelope asked with despair. She cradled her head in her hands. Derek sat up in bed and leaned over the edge, he looked as though he was about to make an attempt to comfort her. "We're stuck in between a rock and a hard place...and we're just little ants that are going to get crushed."

"We're not ants," Emily replied as she rolled her eyes. "We're also not going to get crushed. We'll figure something out."

"Like what?" David inquired. "If students are being killed we have next to no proof. People tend to believe official medical reports more than students. Just a flaw in our society." The last part dripped sarcasm.

"But the reports are wrong," Penelope countered.

"Do we have any type of proof on that?" David asked. "Besides our assumptions? Because last time I checked no one gives a shit about assumptions."

Everyone hung their heads, they all knew the answer to the question, and they all knew that at the moment they were utterly helpless.

"So what?" Emily sighed. "What do we do?"

"We get proof," Aaron replied, determined. "We get concrete proof so good that we nail the school with it."

"How are we going to do that?" Derek asked.

Aaron shrugged. "We'll find a way." He looked around the room at all the different faces that surrounded him. "Together."

"Hell yeah we will," Emily agreed. She smiled and bumped her shoulder into David, as though to try to cheer him up.

"Hands in!" Penelope declared. Everyone groaned as her hand was thrust into the middle of the room.

"This is a very serious situation-."

"Hands. In," she ground out forcefully. Emily, Aaron, Derek, and David had all begrudgingly put their hands on top of hers. She looked across the room at Spencer. Who was seated on his bed. Hair still wet, it hung in his eyes, dripped down his face, and his shirt was slightly soaked through. His mouth was turned down in thought. "Spencer?" She asked worriedly. All eyes were on him, they wondered if the youngest would back out.

"But you're all the way over there," he whined. The whole room cracked up.

"Get your skinny ass over here!" Derek yelled at him, still in the midst of his laughter. Spencer pouted, stood up, and trotted over. He stuck his hand on top of Derek's, lips still pulled in a pout.

"1...2...3...TO THE MISFITS!"

"TO THE MISFITS!"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: WARNING: There's some pretty graphic/gory descriptions in this chapter! I just want to warn you guys, it's edging on more mature content for the first few paragraphs. **

Spencer had been plunged into darkness. He couldn't see a thing around him, yet he could feel the walls as they begun to close in on him. The air started to grow thin, the space felt more heated, he felt panicked, and the insane and rapid beat of his heart echoed in the dark space. He screamed for help, begged, just for someone to come and rescue him. To save him before the walls could crush him. His hands had grown sticky, slicked with something warm and thick, he could hear it drip onto the concrete floor beneath his feet. Could feel the gooey consistency slip between the gaps of his fingers. Spencer couldn't see it, but he could smell it. He could smell the foul, metallic, scent of blood in the air. He'd felt his brain go dizzy. No! What was wrong with him? Why could he not focus?! Suddenly there were voices all around him, they called his name. Their voices a mere whisper, and his name bounced off of the closing walls as they snuck closer and closer to him. No! He was crazy! He was going crazy! The blood poured from his hands like a fountain, it was as though his palms secreted it. The calling got louder as he pleaded for it to stop. His voice had gone weak and desperate. He had to get out! He had to get out! The walls were about to touch his skin...

"SPENCER!" His eyes snapped open, and he lunged upwards. His whole body was slick, but not with blood, with sweat. He was hyperventilating, his heart pounded so hard in his body he felt as though it was going to burst from his chest. It took him a moment to register the hands that rest on his shoulders and lower back.

"It's alright, kid," a voice soothed him softly. He could barely hear it over the thundering pound of his heart. Why wouldn't his heartbeat slow down? He wanted it to go back to normal. He'd also wanted to remember how to properly breathe. "Just calm down. Breathe, Spencer, you're not breathing," the mysterious voice pleaded with him.

"Spencer, it was just a dream. You're in bed, you're safe," the other voice assured him. The hand on his back rubbed soothing circles. The contact somehow managed to be both jarring and reassuring.

Spencer had been about to attempt a response, was about to try to truly see who it was being so kind to him, but all of a sudden images took over his mind. Horrible images of Kathryne. Her empty eyes, her body as it twitched and seizured on the freshly cut grass. Kathryne as her body stopped the twitching, ceased all movement, as she rest stiff and dead on the ground. Suddenly he'd felt the sting of bile as it crawled up his throat, it burned so terribly, and his stomach clenched in despair.

"He's gonna be sick," one of the voices warned with panic. Suddenly, something had been thrust in front of Spencer's face, and that was all the invitation he needed to start heaving.

"Oh, that's nasty," one of the voices complained. A hand still continued to rub his back gently as he retched.

That morning marked it as officially two weeks. Officially two weeks since he'd seen the body of Kathryne on the ground, lifeless. Nothing much had happened since their talk in the bedroom. Their commitment to get concrete evidence. They had been busy with classes, and any attempt made by Penelope to get in touch with Jennifer had been futile.

As the thoughts clouded his mind he felt himself start to heave again. He heaved, and he heaved, until it seemed as though there was nothing left in his stomach.

"Sorry," was the first word he had managed to gasp out. He looked up, realized it was Derek and Aaron who had surrounded him. Aaron's hand on his back, while Derek held a trash bin under Spencer's mouth, it was filled with the disgusting undigested contents of his stomach. Derek looked pretty ill, himself. But Spencer assumed that was more due to him having to hold the vomit bin.

"Don't worry about it." Derek's nose was wrinkled with disgust, and he practically had to choke out his words. "We can..wash it...or y'know, get a new one."

Spencer lowered his head in shame, and brought his arms up to wrap around his stomach. Derek moved the trash bin away from his mouth, and set it across the room. He'd still looked disgusted. There was a light on, he assumed one of them had flicked it on when they'd heard him. It was a small little relief to see it illuminate the room.

The dream of the blood that coated his hands, and the walls that closed in on him came back with a force. He was sure he'd have been sick if he'd had anything else in his stomach. Instead his breathing resumed its erratic rate, as did his heartbeat.

"Spencer," Aaron's voice had been firm, but not unkind. "You need to calm down. You're going to pass out."

"Two weeks," Spencer stuttered out in between his erratic breathing. Both Aaron and Derek's faces softened even more so.

"We know, kid." Derek hesitantly raised his hand to Spencer's shoulder. He looked the boy in the eyes and attempted to give him a reassuring smile. "It's going to be okay."

"No it's not," Spencer disagreed miserably. He'd only been at that school two weeks, and it felt as though he'd been there for years. Not in a good way.

"Yes it is," Derek argued. He rubbed Spencer's shoulder while Aaron continued to rub his back. Spencer couldn't help but feel embarrassed at the fact that his shirt was soaked through with sweat, he knew they both could see it. "Look, if three kids die exactly a week apart at the same boarding school then maybe the police will actually pay attention."

"Not if all rulings are accidental or natural," Spencer shot back. His head hung, hair obstructed his vision. All he could feel was the blood that coated his hands, he could still hear the dripping noise as it smacked into the ground. Was it her blood that coated them? Could he have done something? Saved her? Stopped it?

"We'll work something out," Aaron assured him. "But you need to get some more sleep. I know it's scary, but we're both here. We'll protect you."

"Yeah, man," Derek agreed instantly. He gently pushed down on Spencer's shoulder, and Aaron released his back. Spencer was pushed down until his back hit the bed. He looked back up at the two boys anxiously. "Just calm down, it'll all be okay."

"I...um...I think I'll just stay up." Spencer tried to force himself back up into a seated position, but the hands were still holding him down. Gentle, but firm. He knew they wouldn't budge.

"Just go back to bed, Spencer," Aaron said. "You've barely been asleep three hours."

"That's more than I usually get," Spencer argued. He then, much to his displeasure, broke out into a loud yawn. He heard the sound of Morgan breathing oddly, which meant he was holding back laughter. Spencer tried not to resent him for it.

"Just sleep, Spencer." Spencer had finally been awake enough to hear the tiredness that leaked out with Aaron's voice. "We'll stay up until you do."

"Don't hafta," Spencer said as his eyelids started to suddenly increase in weight. It was so odd to him how he suddenly couldn't seem to keep them open. "Yew can go backta bed," he slurred.

"Think we will be soon, pretty boy," Derek replied in amusement.

It was the last thing Spencer heard before his world faded to black.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer awoke later to the sound of an alarm, it was shrill and high in volume. It amazed him how he'd sometimes managed to sleep through it. He whined and threw his pillow atop of his head, a futile attempt to block out the noise that felt as though it could render him deaf.

"Come on, pretty boy," Derek's voice was much too close for his liking, and soon the boy was shaking him. "Up we go." Spencer shook his head into his pillow to show his refusal. He then could only manage a panicked squeak as he was literally lifted from his bed and placed on the ground. Blankets still around his shoulder, and pillow still held to his head. His knees shook, as he wanted so badly to just collapse onto the ground.

"I didn't take you literally," Spencer groused. He dropped the pillow to the ground, and crossed his arms over his chest...the blanket promptly dropped to his feet, as well. It made a funny little puddle around them.

"Yeah, well, I don't bluff," Derek replied. He picked Spencer's blanket and pillow off the ground and tossed it over to his bed. He eyed the young genius warily. "How are you feeling?"

Spencer frowned in confusion, not able to understand what Derek meant. Then, suddenly, the scene he'd caused in the middle of the night came back to him, hit him on the chest like a ton of bricks. He felt his face flush in humiliation; he couldn't believe he'd thrown up in front of them! Spencer usually had a strong stomach, he'd been able to nearly pride himself on the fact.

"I'm so sorry!" He apologized.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I may never be able to look at that trash bin the same way again, but it's all good." Derek smiled at him and clapped him on the back. Spencer had to catch himself before he tumbled to the ground.

After he'd recovered, Spencer gave a timid, shy, smile back and went to grab a change of clothes for after his shower. He felt as though he had years of dirt and grime caked on his skin. The shower seemed as though it were the perfect solution. The perfect way to let all his problems wash down the drain.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Penelope asked him at breakfast. He'd still looked awful, and his stomach was in knots. Just the sight of his food made him remember puking his guts out in the middle of the night. "You look awful!"

"He had a reaction to something he ate," Derek lied smoothly. Spencer smiled at him thankfully. He hadn't wanted them talking about his nightmares over breakfast...or at all.

"Oh, you poor thing," Penelope cooed softly. Her eyes large with sympathy and pity.

"The food here can be shit," Emily said. "You should tell them their dinner made you physically ill."

"It was probably my fault." Spencer shrugged. "I'm mildly lactose intolerant, I guess I had too much."

"Oh! That explains why you never have the ice cream!" Penelope then frowned. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Give him a rest," Derek said. "He's only been here for what? Two weeks?" He cut up his omelet, and frowned at the insides of it. It didn't look like his was fully cooked, the white part leaked a bit too much. He then shrugged, and ate it anyway.

"Aren't allergies supposed to be the first thing you learn about a person?" David inquired. He looked at Derek's omelet with distaste. Derek just continued to shovel it into his mouth. "Also, dude, that's nasty. I would get another."

"I've drank raw egg before," Derek replied. "I'll be fine."

"Yeah, hey, I bet that's what Spencer thought when he ate his lactose." Emily's smile had held mockery in it.

Spencer scowled at her. "Can we please not talk about how I got sick? I'd prefer to forget it." The mention of his humiliating moment linked together with the memories of his nightmare. Memories he would have loved to bury deep and lock into the darkest, deepest, cell of his mind.

"Poor thing." Penelope then proceeded to shove her hand down her shirt. Everyone at the table's eyes widened, and eyebrows shot up in surprise. Penelope then lifted her hand, and revealed a little pill case that she had tugged out of her bra. She snapped it open, and pulled out two giant pills. "It's Tums!" She proclaimed cheerfully.

"I...um...I think I'm good," Spencer stuttered out. Derek was beside him, his whole body shook with barely concealed laughter. Emily had her mouth hidden behind her hand, David just continued to stare at her, and Aaron looked distracted. As though he wasn't really with them.

"They're not dirty," Penelope told him with slight annoyance. "They were in a container in my bra."

Spencer reluctantly took the two Tums from her fingers and quickly shoved them in his mouth, before he could truly think it through. He rapidly chewed and swallowed them as the minty taste overtook his mouth, it replaced the taste of his cinnamon toothpaste. Derek gave him a few pats on the back.

"Congratulations, kid. You've officially eaten something from in between a girl's-."

"If you continue that, I might just have to throw my drink in your face," Emily warned him. Emily held up her drink, to show that she was serious. Derek just smirked and tossed his arm over Spencer's shoulder.

"Is no one going to talk about the obvious?" David asked them. That even drew Aaron's attention in. "Today marks it as officially two weeks."

"Everything looks fine," Emily said as she looked around the dining hall. "At least, so far."

"I'm not so sure about that," Aaron replied. They all looked at him, and he leaned in. "Weren't Derek, Spencer and I late?"

"Yeah..." David said slowly. "What else is new?"

"Strauss has been late lately...but this is really late," Aaron observed. His eyes darted around the dining hall. Scanned every crevice of it.

"Yeah, well, here she comes..." David pointed behind Aaron, Derek, and Spencer. They all turned to look at Erin Strauss as she entered the dining hall. She seemed to have been getting worse by the day. She looked horrific, her long confident stride remained intact, but her head was held down, and her hands shook and were wrung together anxiously. She paused in the middle of the dining hall and cleared her throat.

"If I can have everyone's attention," Erin called out into the room calmly. Everyone stilled their talking, and turned to look at the voice of authority. She smiled stiffly, it held no warmth or happiness. "I'm afraid to announce that any sports practice will be called off this week-."

"THE WHOLE WEEK?!" One of the male students cried out in horror. Derek and David looked in a similar state.

Erin's head snapped towards him, her eyes narrowed and deadly. "One more word out of anyone who hasn't raised their hand will lead you to be grounded to your room for the rest of the week, as well," she bellowed. "Now," Erin continued once all the kids looked properly terrified. "No practice of sports of any kind this week. You may spend the time studying, or you can get permission to go shopping, or...something." She looked around the room, and Spencer could have sworn he saw her eyes flash with fear. "Be safe." With that, Erin walked over to grab her breakfast.

The whole dining hall seemed stunned. The room was so quiet that if a pin were to drop everyone would have heard it, and a cricket's chirp would have made them all flinch. Spencer's own table had been especially silent, most of them had their mouths hanging wide open.

"Okay," David was the first to choke out his words. He swallowed heavily. "Well, if we didn't think something was wrong before..."

"What the hell is she thinking?" Emily whisper yelled. "That cancelling practice is going to save the kids?"

"Maybe she knows it will," Aaron pondered. Everyone continued to stare at him expectantly. "Maybe this is some kind of deal, an appeasement technique?"

"So Strauss knows something's going on yet she still won't go to the police," Emily snarled and shook her head, her face showed her disgust. "How typical."

"Maybe whoever this is might be threatening Strauss?" David suggested.

"It's possible," Spencer said thoughtfully. "Whoever it was would have at least had to have had contact with Strauss to tell her to do this. If it's anonymous, maybe she got a letter?"

"What the hell kind of motive is it to cancel sports practice?" Derek inquired. "Someone who really friggin' hates sports?"

"Whoever it is, they're probably female, right?" David asked. "I read poison is typically used by females?"

"False," Spencer replied immediately. Everyone stared at him. "Majority of convicted prisoners are men, especially when the victim is a woman. When the victim is a man, it's equally likely to be either a man or a woman."

"Well that's unhelpful," David said. "Both of the potential victims were a man and a woman. The hell does that tell us?"

"That whoever it is isn't afraid to cross gender lines," Emily suggested. "Male or female doesn't matter."

"But whether or not they play sports seems to," Derek pointed out. He then eyed David. "Which is very unlucky for us."

"Oh my god," Penelope gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes grew wide and wet. "You guys have to quit."

"What?!" David asked. "I'm not going to quit!"

"It's for your safety!" Penelope argued. "I-I can't have either of you-." She was cut off by a quiet sob that broke through her lips.

"Hey, hey," Derek soothed. He looked around the dining hall to make sure nobody noticed them. He reached a hand across the table and grabbed Penelope's free one. "Babygirl, it's going to be okay. We're going to be okay. Being in sports could have its benefits."

"Inside information," Emily said. "With a keen eye you'd notice things before anyone else."

"Exactly," Derek agreed. "We can't quit."

"Why is this even our job?" Penelope asked in despair. "We're kids. We should go to the police if we think something is wrong."

"Yeah." David rolled his eyes. "That'd go well. Hey, cops, we think there's a serial murderer at our boarding school. Why do we think that? Oh. Because two kids died exactly a week apart. One was ruled as natural, and the other was an overdose. No! Of course that's not our only reason! Sports practice was just cancelled for a week!" He gave them all a look. "That would not go well."

"Well, nothing sounds good if you explain it like that," Penelope responded sullenly.

"None of this sounds good," Emily stated. She looked around the dining hall. "So what? We're going to crack this case?"

Spencer just sat, looked into space, Penelope was the first to notice it.

"Oh, sweetie!" She instantly forgot about her own terror and looked at Spencer worriedly. "You must be so scared."

"I've only been here two weeks and I'm already involved in a murder case," he said glumly.

David chuckled and lifted his glass in an invisible toast. "Welcome to boarding school."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"I don't know what to do with myself," Derek complained. He, Spencer, and David were walking down the school halls. Spencer's AP chemistry had ended, and the other two boys had caught up with him quickly.

"Go do a few laps around the school," David suggested. "I'll watch and take pictures."

"Or you could run with me and we could see who goes down first. Hint: It won't be me," Derek shot back. David narrowed his eyes at him, but they had too much of a playful shine to them to truly be threatening.

"There are the three stooges," Emily's voice was heard, and the brunette jogged up to them. Spencer frowned up at her. She winced. "Sorry, Spencer, you're not a stooge." She ruffled his hair. He continued to frown. Emily just shrugged and looked at David and Derek. "Penelope, Aaron, and I decided maybe we should take the shuttle out. Maybe pick up some snacks, or do...I don't know, something."

"You mean actually get out of here?" David inquired. He smiled. "Sounds awesome."

"Should we really be going?" Spencer asked nervously. His arms were hugged around himself, and his foot tapped up against the ground in a nervous, out of beat rhythm. Spencer was scared. The fact that the rest of the group maintained the ability to joke around while faced with serious danger never ceased to amaze him. He felt as though he were falling apart.

Emily walked closely to him and whispered, "It might be a good idea to talk where no one around here could hear us."

Spencer nodded his understanding. Just as they were about to walk away, another voice interrupted them.

"Spencer." Spencer's whole body froze. It was Liam. "Hello, again," the boy greeted him pleasantly.

Spencer forced a polite smile on his face. The boy was not someone whose company he had enjoyed. But time had showed him not to be too picky about who showed him kindness. Just to accept it.

"Hi, Liam," he greeted with much more enthusiasm than he felt. "How are you?"

"Great," he replied. Spencer expected him to acknowledge the others, but Liam made no move to. He just focused on Spencer. "Some friends of mine decided we should go and see a movie. I've got permission to do so, I wanted to know if you might want to come."

"He can't," Emily cut in before Spencer had the chance to speak. One glance up at the brunette and he caught the intensity in her eyes as she stared at Liam. Dislike was one of the most easily identifiable emotions within them. "He's going with us to get some snacks."

"With all do respect, Emily, I don't recall asking you," Liam said with a fake smile. It was one of the things that threw Spencer off the most about the boy. His emotions were always fake, seemingly planned. He had a mask to fit every situation.

"Actually, she's right," Spencer intersected. "I already had plans with them."

Liam frowned for a moment, but quickly recovered so that his facial expression was neutral. "Ah, well, that's alright," he hadn't sounded alright at all, he sounded annoyed. He offered a smile even faker than all his others. "Maybe some other time."

Spencer nodded his head, smiled tightly, and went to walk away. He was prepared for that to be the end, but Liam had other plans.

"Perhaps you can sit with me and my friends for dinner," he'd offered. Spencer's whole body stiffened, and he saw Emily practically snarl out of the corner of his eye. "I think you'd find the conversation very interesting."

"He sits with us for dinner," Emily snapped at him. She tossed an arm around Spencer's shoulder, something that normally only Derek had the lack of knowledge, or caring, on personal space to do.

"So, you guys just own him 24/7?" Liam inquired.

"Yep, looks like," David cut in. He gave Liam a cynical smile and put a hand on Emily's back. "We should get going," he told her.

"I don't necessarily think that fair," Liam said, he had turned abrasive. "I think I can offer him a seat at my table, and allow him to answer for himself."

"Fine," Emily looked at him. "Spencer?"

"I...uh...I'm going to sit with them for dinner, please," he stuttered out. He realized as soon as the words had left his mouth how stupid the "please" had sounded.

Liam's smile was tight, controlled, his eyes had a flame lit behind them. The boy actually frightened Spencer. "Very well," he said as he approached him. Spencer shrunk into Emily slightly, and he saw Derek and David take a step forward. But all Liam did was pat him on the shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow," he offered. Spencer gave a small smile and a tiny nod. Not of agreement, almost more of dismissal. Liam eyed the rest of the friends critically and spoke primly, "Have a nice day, you three. Derek, I hope the football game next week doesn't suffer too much because of this."

Derek narrowed his eyes at him and snarled slightly, which seemed to brighten up Liam's mood a little. "See you all later!" With a small little wave, he was gone.

"When did you start talking to Liam Lockwood?" Emily hissed at him as soon as he was out of earshot.

"He just started talking to me on Friday! I didn't think too much of it..." The last part was partial lie, the whole conversation had agitated Spencer.

"He sure seemed smug that practice was cancelled," David observed wisely. His voice had knowledge and suspicion laced within it. Derek's eyes widened, and Emily's mouth opened in surprise.

"You don't think..." Emily trailed off.

"Just saying, I think it's odd."

"Liam's always hated sports," Derek said to Spencer as they all walked down the halls. "Ever since he's been here he's talked of how the "brutes" have made the school fall from its former glory."

"He...uh...said some stuff that was weird about you guys," Spencer told them shyly. They watched him intently, and silently urged him to go on. Spencer was unsure whether or not he should share the piece of information. Was it rude to tell friends about mean things others said about them? "He said he was worried about me and that you all had a tendency for trouble," he rushed out. His voice had been hushed, and his words had run together, he was surprised that the others even heard it.

"Ah, well, the tendency for trouble part isn't exactly untrue," David replied with a slightly amused expression. "But, to be fair, Lockwood is biased."

"Why is he biased?" Spencer asked.

"Let's just say we haven't gotten along and leave it at that, kid." Derek reached over and ruffled his hair, much like Emily had. Spencer let out a squawk of indignance and glared at him. Deep down he was a little hurt, because he knew the reason they weren't telling him was because they hadn't known him long enough. Derek had trusted a lot in him with the fort, and with his silence on the subject, but beyond that the others were still a tad shaky on certain details. Like how almost none of them spoke of life beyond school. Especially Derek. Spencer hadn't a clue who his family was, or what they did. Not even if Derek had siblings.

"Ah, he's right, we don't want to bother you with boring stories," David agreed. "Just take our word for it and don't hang around him. He might be a golden boy, but he's not a nice guy."

"Just trust us," Emily continued on. "We're looking out for you."

"You can all be rather cryptic to an almost frightening level," Spencer informed them all. They all laughed.

"Eh, you'll get used to it," David said. "Or you'll stick around enough to learn our deepest darkest secrets." He had said the last part with a perfect impression of an old horror movie narrator, it made Spencer laugh in delight.

Spencer looked just in time to see that Derek wasn't at all amused by what David said, and almost seemed to have once again travelled into his own universe. Spencer reached over, and begun pulling the lint off of his school jacket. The action had brought Derek back to reality enough to stare at him in bewilderment.

"What are you doing?" He asked. Emily's arm was still draped over Spencer's shoulder, and it was extended so that Spencer could pick the lint while they walked.

"Haven't you ever heard of a lint roller?" Spencer asked with disgust. "You're a mess!"

"Of all the things that have happened in the mere two weeks since you've been here and your main concern is the state of my jacket?" Derek asked in disbelief.

"You can get some for only five dollars!" Spencer continued with his lint roller argument. "You're getting one when we go out for snacks."

"He's bossing me around now," Derek announced. David and Emily had both been watching the scene with amusement. "We've reached the point where he now feels comfortable bossing me around."

"You have told me we're at the point in our friendship where it is okay for you to consistently tease me," Spencer reminded him. "Thus, we have reached the point where it is okay for me to force you to at least look decent while doing it."

"You're giving me advice on how to look good?!" Derek asked, appalled. David and Emily had begun to lose the fight against their laughter.

"No, I'm giving you advice on how to look presentable. Two totally different things, but they pair together nicely," Spencer said.

Derek looked at the others and gestured to Spencer in disbelief.

"He's right, Derek." David was holding back a stream of laughter, it was obvious. "You're a mess."

Spencer spun his head around, narrowed his eyes at David judgmentally and told him, "You're next."

David's eyes widened, Derek chuckled, and Emily finally let out a loud laugh. They caught up to the others, and filed into the van. Spencer sat behind Derek, and took that as a chance to pick the lint off of his shoulders and upper back.

"Do I want to know why he's getting all handsy with my man candy?" Penelope inquired of Emily.

"Lint," Derek replied sullenly. "He's picking the lint off of me."

"Well, someone had to." Penelope shrugged. Derek looked at her in shock. "What?! A lint roller only costs like, four bucks!"

"Thank you!" Spencer cried out, validated.

"After two weeks I feel the need to officially declare that Spencer." David rest a hand on Spencer's shoulder. "You fit right in here."

He'd said the words with infinite humor, and Spencer was pretty sure they weren't supposed to mean anything...but they had. He'd never fit in anywhere in his entire life. It was an odd little group they all had, but perhaps that was the reason that he found he fit in so well. None of them were exactly "normal", but they all fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

"Do they have pita chips?!" Penelope asked with excitement.

"We're going to a supermarket, aren't we?" Emily inquired. "They should have everything."

"Including lint rollers."

"Shut up about the lint rollers!"


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey, everyone! I would like to thank all of you who take the time to review this! It means the world to me! Also, to answer a question, I'm afraid I don't really have photos I use to imagine the characters. I mainly just imagine them with how they're either shown in flashbacks, or if there are younger pictures of the actors. Usually it's mainly my imagination, though. I'm afraid. **

The next five days that had passed were not easy on any members of their small group. Derek, Emily, Spencer and David had shared their concerns on Liam with Aaron and Penelope. Penelope did a basic background check on him, but there wasn't much that Liam hadn't already bragged about. She couldn't find any connection between him and the two supposed victims. Liam had never shown them any deep distrust or dislike than he'd shown anyone else.

Not only that, but Derek had gotten increasingly irritable throughout the five day break of football. Spencer had begun to realize that quite possibly tackling other people to obtain the object of a ball was a powerful stress release for the boy. Without it? He had been incredibly moody to the point where most of the group stopped attempting to hold a conversation with him. He'd gotten a bad test score and nearly put his fist through their dorm wall.

"This happens often," Aaron told him after it had happened. Luckily, Derek had held his rage back enough that it only sounded like a boulder was smashed into their room.

He was surprised with how much David messed with Derek that Derek hadn't punched the boy's head clean off of his shoulders. Penelope wasn't lying when she said Derek's muscles looked like they had been chiseled onto his body, Spencer had walked in on the boy doing push ups.

It was the weekend, which meant that, with the school's approval, they could practically do what they wanted. They could go shopping, see a movie, go somewhere to hang out, anything. Since the weather was still nice, they were scheduled to have a barbecue for dinner.

"I've never had barbecue that wasn't from a restaurant before," Spencer told them at breakfast.

"Heh, your dad never busted out the grill?" Derek asked him, his mood seemed to have brightened somewhat that morning. He'd joked around with Penelope, who always managed to lighten up his mood. That was the good thing about Penelope, she seemed to bring light and bright shining colors wherever she went.

Spencer's facial expression darkened, and he tightened his hand around his fork, the formerly cold metal grew warm in his grasp. It was odd, since he'd been at boarding school it was almost as though his feelings for his Father had grown impossibly worse. "No," he said stiffly.

"No great big family barbecues?" David continued to pry. Spencer drummed his fingers against the table anxiously, he hated to talk about anything that concerned his personal life.

"No." He used the same one-word answer, the same stiff tone, and the same thin lipped, bitter eyed expression.

"Me either," Emily said, and she gave Spencer a meaningful look, as though she knew he was trying to escape the inquiries. Spencer looked at her gratefully. "My family is kind of scattered."

"Every barbecue tastes bad to me," Derek said. "I had the most amazing homemade barbecue when I was younger." He had looked slightly wistful, but kept his head down, so that no one could see his face too well.

"Did your Dad grill a lot?" Spencer asked innocently. He hadn't meant any harm with it, he was just parroting the question Derek had asked him earlier. But he immediatly realized the error to his ways when the whole attitude at the table switched immediately. Penelope even stopped mid-bite and looked at him with wide eyes, she shook her head slightly, as though he could take it back. Derek's whole body had stiffened, and when he looked up at Spencer all he could see in his eyes was anger. "Or-uh-..." Spencer hadn't a clue how to fix it. The damage had been done.

"So, this is it, huh?" Derek asked with acrimony. "Known me almost three weeks so you think you can now dig? I never ask about your Mom, Spencer." Spencer's mouth popped open in shock, but he quickly felt his own eyes narrow, his heart pound in chest.

"Give him a break, Derek," David cut in quickly. "He was just curious."

Spencer recovered from his own anger at having his Mother brought up simply because he made an inquiry. Deep down, he knew his question must have thrown Derek off badly if the boy had felt the need to bring it up. "I really didn't mean anything by it," he begun cautiously. "I was just curious. I didn't think it to be a problem."

"For someone who thinks a lot," Derek begun, his voice still thick with anger. "You should have put a bit more thought into it."

"Jesus, Derek," Emily cried out at him. "He asked if your Father barbecued, not for an auto-biography."

"I won't do it again," Spencer promised in a squeaky voice. The anger in Derek's eyes had truly begun to frighten him. A man more than twice his size that stared at him with that look commonly only ended in one result, and he had yet to experience the result in boarding school...yet. "I was just curious to the origins in which your barbecue story took place. I was also repeating a similar question that you had asked me prior, it was what automatically came to mind when you brought it up. I apologize."

Derek rolled his eyes and went back to eating, but Spencer could see his face slightly soften. An uncomfortable silence covered the span of the table, that was, until Penelope hit Derek in the arm. The loud smack echoed quite a bit, and a few people turned to look at the source. "Don't be a grump! Forgive him! Now!" She demanded. Derek stared at her with wide eyes. "Now!"

"You're forgiven..." Derek said slowly. His eyes were still on Penelope. Who narrowed them more. Derek rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth kicked up and he faced Spencer. "You're forgiven, kid. Just some things a person doesn't want to talk about. My life outside of school is one of 'em."

"Understood," Spencer said. He looked around the dining hall warily. "Is anyone else worried that it's two more days until it's three weeks?"

"Terrified," Penelope answered with earnesty. She looked around the dining hall. "Strauss isn't here today, either. Cruz and Gideon are overseeing everything."

"I almost have a feeling Gideon doesn't like me..." David joked as he looked at the teacher's table. Jason seemed to every once and awhile cast a glance toward the table, his gaze especially landed on David. "Either that or he's madly in love with me."

"I like him," Spencer stated. The whole table looked at him in shock, Spencer frowned. "What? He's a good teacher."

"He's a pain in the ass," David responded. "He doesn't even answer some of our questions in class. He always says that 'we need to learn to answer these questions ourselves'. He's a teacher," David complained.

"He'll answer technical questions that will enhance our learning capabilities," Spencer explained. "But certain questions he feels are ones that we need to discover ourselves and share our answers with him. I stay after his class sometimes telling him what I thought of certain ones."

"Kiss ass," Emily joked. Spencer frowned at her, and David laughed.

"Hi Jennifer!" The words from Penelope cut off any reply or comeback Spencer had planned to make. The whole table looked to where Jennifer stood next to their table. She was particularly late to breakfast that morning, it was nearing the halfway done point. She also looked drained, as though her entire body was running on autopilot. Even the smile she gave back to Penelope was strained, as though she had to use great force for her facial muscles to move.

"Hey," she replied. She was about to say something else, but cut herself off with a loud yawn that she rushed a hand to her face to cover. "How're you?" She asked afterwards.

"Good!" Penelope replied eagerly. "Do you want to sit with us?" She cast a glance to an empty spot on the table, one on the other side of Spencer. Jennifer's eyes followed, and Spencer gave her a timid smile.

"Uh-I don't-." They were cut off by a girl from Jennifer's table who was whisper-yelling her name and gesturing wildly to the seat beside her. Her mouth was turned down and she was glaring at the group as though they were committing a criminal offence.

Jennifer smiled regretfully at them. "Maybe another time," she answered, she had already begun to walk away, and Penelope's entire being deflated. It was actually a heartbreaking sight to witness. Penelope was always so full of life, but every time Jennifer was too busy to chat it was like someone let the air out of her and she just crumbled.

"She's just busy," Spencer assured her softly. Penelope looked at him through the lens of her glasses, her eyes large and sad. The rest of the table just seemed resigned to it all. "I'm sure she'll be free at some point and you two can hang out again." He wasn't quite sure if his words were factual, and he almost regretted them after he'd said them, but the little spark of hope had come back to Penelope's eyes, so he assumed that even if it were a lie, that it was one of the justifiable kind. Penelope was one of those people who had to have the hope in her protected at all costs.

"I'd still like to know exactly what Kathryne said before she dropped," Emily muttered.

"Okay, can we please, pretty please, not use the word dropped?" Penelope pleaded. Emily looked at her in confusion, and Penelope continued, "It just sounds so awful."

"I'm sorry, is the word "died" much nicer? Or "seizured"?" Emily inquired dryly.

Penelope let out a little whimper, obviously the images had come to her mind in the same way they had come to Spencer's. He couldn't help but shut his own eyes as the images bombarded him. No matter how much he tried to block them out, it seemed as though he couldn't fully do it. Kathryne had become a frequent image featured in his already awful nightmares. An image he was pretty sure would forever be burned into his mind. The cold dead eyes were the worst part.

"How would you feel if, God forbid, anything happened to you and people just described your death as "she dropped"?" Penelope inquired passionately.

Emily took a sip of her orange juice, unperturbed. "I'd congratulate them from beyond on their accurate description of my death," she answered easily. David snorted.

Spencer glanced over at Aaron, who had been peculiarly quiet, but the boy just seemed to be deep in thought as he stirred his orange juice with the striped straw that was in it. It was as though he was in a whole other world.

"Emily, if you're going to die of anything it's lung cancer," David informed her. Emily rolled her eyes, looked around the room, and quickly flipped David off. He continued on, it was obviously not a new event, "It's breakfast time and you already smell like smoke."

"Excuse me," Emily started with incredulity. "Aren't you the one who sneaks off to smoke cigars?" Before David could reply, she continued. "Not only that, but with the amount of drinking you do you're going to die of liver failure."

"Can we please not talk about all the ways we're going to die?" Penelope pleaded. "Especially not when someone might actually take advantage of it?"

"Cigar smoking is in no way as dangerous as cigarettes," David retorted, he ignored Penelope completely. The blonde looked put out.

"They're still very dangerous," Spencer's voiced. They all groaned, except Emily, because he had gone into his "lecture voice". "All tobacco smoke contains chemicals that cause cancer, cigar smoke is no exception. If you smoke them regularly, you risk several types of cancers, including mouth, lip, tongue, throat, esophagus, larynx and lung." Emily smiled smugly at David, who was glaring holes through Spencer's head. The boy didn't even seem to notice, though. His brain was just one big picture of all that he'd read on the matter. "Not to mention lung and heart disease! If you smoke cigars regularly, you're at an increased risk of it. Including emphysema and chronic bronchitis. You can also have an increased chance of coronary artery disease! Not to mention how cigar smoking has been linked to oral and dental disease-." David seemed to have finally had enough, because he cut Spencer off,

"We get it, I'm a moron. Though I still say she's a bigger moron," he said and gestured to Emily. Who simply sighed in exasperation, but then broke out into a pleased smile, and winked at Spencer.

"I love having a genius around to constantly prove me right," she said happily.

"Yeah." David snorted. "Right." His eyes got an evil glint in them, and he eyed Spencer. "Hey, Spencer," he begun. "I bet you have some super great statistics to tell Emily on cigarette smoking," he encouraged. Emily looked at him as though he were the devil, and shook her head rapidly.

David had obviously meant to trigger the fact portion of his brain, but he triggered something else entirely. Memories. Memories of his Mother out on their back deck, a book in one hand and a cigarette held to her mouth with the other. A puff of smoke would emerge from her mouth, momentarily hiding her tired, worn out face. Her skin was pale, much like Spencer's own, but it had grown an unhealthy pasty shade. The blue under her eyes from her sleepless nights was apparent. Spencer had always wished he could help her find some rest, much like she had helped him. But he'd tried, and they never seemed to work. One of the things he'd wanted most, though, was for her to stop smoking. But she never seemed to care for his statistics, his facts, the news articles he'd arrange on her bed. She was paranoid about everything except for the side effects of smoking, it seemed.

"Spencer?" David encouraged.

Spencer blinked, the vision of his Mother faded away like a puff of smoke in the breeze. He frowned, his eyes sad, his heart ached, and he felt utterly defeated. "Wouldn't matter," he told them glumly. "It wouldn't change anything."

Everyone had looked at him in concern after that, even Aaron, who had broken out of his trance. Spencer didn't pay them any attention, he only looked sightlessly at his chocolate chip pancakes. Most of it was still left on his plate, cut up into little pieces. His Mother's voice echoed through his head, the voice she used when she told him he needed to eat more, that he was far too skinny. She would even at times raise her own bony fingers to pinch the little bit of skin there was on him, to prove just how thin he was.

"So," Aaron finally spoke up, he used the voice he always used when he tried to steer the conversation away from dangerous territory. "Day after tomorrow makes it three weeks. We really need to figure out what's going to happen next."

"If she cancels the football game, I'm losing it," Derek informed them. Emily stared at him in astonishment.

"Would you rather your game or a person's life?!" She asked him in horror. Derek's eyes widened as he realized how he'd come across.

"I just mean...I'm frustrated," Derek told them. He ran a hand over his head. "This whole thing is crazy."

"We can't panic," Aaron hissed at him. He looked around the dining hall to make sure they weren't attracting any attention.

"There might be people getting killed, Aaron," Derek snapped back at him, he kept his tone at a low volume. "I think we're overdue on the whole freaking out thing."

"We can't," Emily told Derek matter of factly. "If we panic we'll just make everything worse."

"Nothing is for sure yet," Aaron reminded them. "We can't get overly freaked out over an assumption."

"I feel like we're at the start of some slaughter movie," Derek said.

"Oh no." Penelope gasped. "I hope not! I can never make it through the whole movie!"

"I know," David replied with a twinge of annoyance. "I went to see one with you and the whole time you kept repeating how wrong it was while you kicked your feet around and spilled your popcorn all over the people both in front and behind you."

"Your fault for taking Penelope to a horror movie," Emily said, a teasing smile on her face as she neatly cut at her own pancakes. She'd kept all of her syrup on the side of her plate, so that she could dip the pieces of pancake into it instead of eating it together at once.

Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose and took in a slow, calming breath. "So we can't find any proof that Liam may have done it?"

"You tell me," Penelope replied cheekily. "You're the lawyer." At Aaron's blank expression, she continued seriously, "Nadda. He never interacted out of school with either of them."

"If anyone would do it, my money is still on him," David told them all. He shook his head. "The kid has a thing against sports, says that schools are handing out scholarships to the undeserving."

"Since when does that lead to a murdering rampage?" Emily inquired.

"Isn't his Dad a doctor or something?" Derek asked.

"Orthopedic surgeon," Spencer corrected. He replayed his brief conversation with Liam in his head. The boy had reached out to him a few more times, but the first conversation had happened to be their longest. "His best subject is chemistry," he recalled.

"Well." David breathed out a sigh, not one of relief, but of foreboding. "That's not good."

"It's still not solid evidence," Aaron stated firmly. "Penelope." He looked at the peppy blonde. "What exactly can you do with a computer?"

Penelope offered a sly grin, though her eyes reflected the terror and worry that they all felt, deep down. "Things you could never even imagine."

"Is hacking into someone's search history one of them?" Aaron inquired hesitantly. He looked as though he knew the dangers that his question could lead to, and probably wanted the police kicking down their dorm door as little as Spencer had.

Penelope worried her bottom lip, but then smiled again. She nodded her head with excitement and clasped her hands together. "Ohhh! I know just how to do this one! I've always wanted to do this one!"

Aaron looked sincerely worried as he looked at her, Spencer could practically feel the regret that radiated off of him. "What exactly are you going to do?"

"Nothing for you to worry about!" She assured him, chipper as ever. "You just keep lawyering."

"So now we're hacking into a personal computer?" Spencer whined. He shook his head as he thought of all the laws they were going to end up breaking. "This is going to get bad."

"Only if I get caught," Penelope said the statement as if it were as unbelievable as a unicorn galloping through the dining hall while a flying nun controlled it with a magic wand that they got from Narnia. "Penelope Garcia never gets caught."

"We're hacking someone's computer!" Spencer cried out. David smacked a hand over his mouth and glanced around the dining hall. Once he saw no one had noticed, he removed it and glared at Spencer. Who quickly brought a napkin up to wipe at his lips. "Never do that again," Spencer hissed at him.

"Well, if you don't want to get caught committing a crime the best way to avoid it is to not announce it in public," David snapped back. Spencer opened and closed his mouth a few times, but just crossed his arms over his chest in a huff.

"Eat your food," Penelope ordered him. Spencer looked at her in surprise. "Yes, you, the tiny one. Eat."

He frowned at her and slowly took a bite of his pancake, she nodded in approval.

At the moment he officially decided the whole group of them were insane.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

They had been dragged to the mall by Penelope...some of them literally dragged. In her excited flurry of practically running up the escalator, and into the shops, they'd made out that they would be looking at homecoming dresses. So far they'd seen about five, and she wasn't slowing down.

Penelope showed them the next homecoming dress, face bright, eyes lit up, it was obvious she favored it. It was a hot pink dress with sequins right over the chest, the bottom of it poofed out into a tutu. "Isn't this amazing?!" She squealed happily. She bounced on the balls of her feet, and the other people in the store looked at her oddly.

"Babygirl." Derek was the first to speak, his tone was fond, eyes filled with endearment. "I thought you already got a dress?"

"I have A dress," she corrected him. She did a spin and watched as the tutu poofed out even more, obviously amused and overjoyed with movement. "I'm not sure if I have THE dress."

Spencer frowned and turned to look up at Derek, who was just shaking his head in a fond exasperation. "I don't get it," he told him.

Derek looked down at him, smirked, and ruffled his hair. "No one does, kid."

"Okay, young one," Penelope begun and approached Spencer. She gestured to herself, and Spencer looked at her accordingly. He wondered what it was he was supposed to see. "I am a fabulous majestic being, correct?"

"Uh...I guess?" Spencer agreed hesitantly, he guessed with his knowledge on Penelope that he'd picked the correct answer.

"I'll take that as a yes. So, I'm a fabulous majestic being, and I need an equally fabulous dress or I lose credibility. Understand?" Penelope asked him.

Spencer stared at her with increased confusion. "No," he answered honestly. Derek let out loud laugh, David shook his head with a smile, Emily smirked, and Aaron snorted. Penelope just sighed, as though the whole situation was incredibly draining to her.

"You can not be helped, my love," she told him regretfully.

"Oh..." Spencer blinked. "Sorry?"

"It's alright, oh young and smart one." Penelope gave him a few pats on his head, almost sympathetically. "You're still a cub, you'll grow soon enough."

"With all that's going on, and we're worried about a dress." Emily snorted and shook her head.

"Hey," Penelope snapped at her. Emily looked at her in surprised. "I get it, there's a lot going on, and if I'm going to be honest you and everyone else, then right now I am BEYOND terrified. But, for now, just right now, I want to put on a dress and look like a pretty princess. Now, everyone." She twirled. "Yes or no?"

"You look pretty." Spencer was the first to break out of the initial surprise of Penelope's statement. "I like it."

Penelope put a hand over her heart, so it rest on the bright pink sequins. "Oh, be still my heart," she cooed. "Thank you, my little pet genius."

"Mama, you could wear a garbage bag and you'd still be the prettiest girl there," Derek announced. Penelope's eyes reflected her happiness at that statement, and the bouncing increased, obviously so excited she couldn't stand still.

"Thanks," Emily said to Derek sarcastically. Derek just merely shrugged in response, a small smile played on his lips.

"It suits you," David simply stated. Spencer wasn't quite sure whether it was a compliment or not, but Penelope seemed not to mind it. David wasn't the kind to often deliver flattery.

"You look great, Penelope," Aaron told her kindly. She squealed and bounced up all the way off the ground, her shoes made a loud smack on the ground as they came back down on the smooth flooring. All the others in the store were looked at their group as though they were setting of fireworks or committing some type of felon. Spencer shrunk back, he'd hated the attention, but the others took in in stride.

"Great! Now, I'm going to take off this dress and hand it to Emily, dresses in Emily's hand are the gorgeous pile, anything I hand David is the not gorgeous pile." David already had five dresses that were seated next to him, he'd stated how he wasn't holding them. "Then at the end we're going to take votes and tally them up for the winner," Penelope informed them. Spencer looked around him, he wondered if anyone was as perplexed by the system as he was, but everyone looked as though the whole thing was an everyday occurrence.

"Babygirl, just how long might this take?" Derek inquired.

Penelope waved her hand in dismissal. "My dear, perfection takes some time."

"Took my Mom nine months," David quipped, Emily made a gagging noise in response.

"So, AKA we'll be in stores all day?" Derek asked.

"No, we'll be in stores for as long as it takes," Penelope corrected.

"Hey, Emily, have you gotten a dress yet?" David asked her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head in the negative.

"Still have mine from last year." She shrugged. She then groaned when she saw that Penelope stared at her in horror. "I hate you," she hissed at David, who looked incredibly smug.

"Nuh-uh! No way! No how! We're getting you a fancy new dress, Emmy! I'm not taking no for an answer!" Penelope declared.

"How about a 'don't call me Emmy' instead?" Emily inquired dryly. Penelope rolled her eyes and gripped Emily's wrist, she tugged her to her feet and looked her over. She snapped her fingertips and her face looked as though a light bulb had gone off over her head.

"I saw just the dress for you!" She squealed with excitement and pulled Emily towards a different section of a store while she called out order to the guys to guard her dressing room.

"Well, kid." Derek tossed an arm around Spencer. "What do you think about your first shopping trip with the ladies?"

"Interesting but ultimately confusing," Spencer replied honestly. Derek laughed and pulled away his arm to give him a pat on the back. "I'm sorry about breakfast," Spencer whispered when he thought Aaron and David weren't paying attention, the two had started their own discussion.

Derek froze for a moment, but then shook it off. "Don't worry about it, kid," he assured him. "I overreacted. I shouldn't have said...I just...I just like to keep my private life private, y'know?"

"Yeah." Spencer nodded. "I understand. There are things I don't like to talk about, either."

Derek nodded. "Everyone does, kid," he said softly. "Besides, I already messed up the first day with the reference to your Mom. So I guess we're even."

Spencer stiffened at the mention of his Mother, his eyes zeroed in on the ground. It was odd, as much as he didn't want to talk about her, another part of him felt compelled to. It was almost as though he'd held so much back, never sharing any of himself with anyone, the thought of having a chance had felt almost exhilarating. But it was also frightening, because where there was trust, there was also betrayal. He wondered if it was really worth taking the leap.

"I just miss her." Instead of taking the leap, he took a little jump off of the lowest diving board.

He looked up to see that Derek looked surprised that he'd said anything at all. He took awhile to respond as he mulled over Spencer's words, and Spencer waited patiently. "Yeah," Derek articulated hesitantly and softly. "I get that," he assented.

There was a lull in their conversation. They both sat there and watched Penelope drag Emily back to the dressing rooms, her arms filled with various dresses and Emily beside her, who looked less than pleased. Derek's lips gave a small twitch, but he then spoke again,

"Everyone around here has problems," he divulged. "Even people like Liam Lockwood," he said the name mockingly. "People who seem wholly perfect. Who you can't seem to find a single flaw in their life. Everyone has shit going on, in this school and out of it. The only difference is people like Liam will cover it at all costs. They'll act like everything is perfect and wonderful. But inside? They're a mess." He let out a long exhale. "We all are."

"If you look for perfection, you'll never be content," Spencer quoted. "It's a quote by Leo Tolstoy," he explained.

To Spencer's surprise, Derek laughed. "How do you store all that up there?" He asked as he tapped at Spencer's head.

"Would you prefer the scientific reason, or my awkward laughter?" Spencer asked light-heartedly. Derek laughed in response, and Spencer smiled, pleased.

"You are by far one of the weirdest people I've ever met, kid," Derek informed him. Spencer frowned, unsure if the words were intended to be insulting. "I mean, you might even have beat out Penelope, that's something special." At that, Spencer couldn't help but smile. He even let out a tiny laugh.

Before Spencer could have replied, Penelope had come running out of the dressing rooms. She wore a new dress, this one was a bright red one. There were still sequins that covered the chest, these were silver, and it had a single strap that went crossbody. The bottom skirt portion of it still puffed out, and still made her look like a "pretty princess".

"Okay, not gonna lie, I have some lipstick that will go perfect with this," Penelope informed them. "I also have a totally amazing pair of high heels that would look like the epitome of excellence with this."

"Babygirl, you are the epitome of excellence," Derek flirted. Penelope winked at him.

"You know what they say about being around people for awhile that they end up rubbing off on you," she flirted back. She then smiled slyly. "Though, we haven't quite done that yet."

"Oh for the love of God," David groaned in distaste. He brought both of his hands up to cover his eyes. "The mental images," he complained.

But then another dressing room door opened, someone exited, and time seemed to stand still.

"Oh-em-gee," Penelope squealed. "David, you might want to uncover those eyes!"

Before them was Emily Prentiss, she stood tall in the dress Penelope had picked out for her. It was a black dress, one sleeved with a slight embellishment in the middle. It was simple, classy, and elegant. It had made Emily look absolutely stunning.

"Sweetie." Penelope whistled. She walked forward and grasped both of Emily's hands. "To say you look like a million bucks would be marking the price down way too much."

"I'll pay double," Derek said with flirtation. He blew a joking kiss in Emily's direction, and she rolled her eyes.

"Not for sale," she replied. Derek held a hand to his heart, as though he were wounded.

"Look!" Penelope pointed excitedly at Derek. "You even look so hot you have my man flirting with you! You'll turn every girl at homecoming into a jealous mess!"

Emily blinked, surprised at that, and then broke out into a grin. "I do like the sound of that," she admitted. At the pleading look on Penelope's face she caved, "I'll get it."

Penelope let out a cry out of joy and threw her arms around her friend, she bounced them both up and down. She pulled away and continued to stare at Emily with a big grin, her teeth looked a bright white as they were framed by her lipstick.

"All we need to do is get you some black kitten heels and baby, you will be the hottest little thing to ever stroll into school!" Penelope declared with non-concealed excitement.

Emily just smiled. "I'll settle for second hottest," she replied fondly. Penelope's grin turned from excitement, to one of affection.

"I have the greatest friends in the world." She sighed happily. She then spun around to look at the guys. "Okay, so, we'll finish up here, and then get Spencer something."

"What?!"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

They were back at the boarding school, in Derek, Aaron, and Spencer's dorm room. Penelope was seated on the floor, her laptop balanced on her legs as she typed into her computer. She let out a cry of delight that startled the rest of the room, Spencer even dropped his bag of pretzels so they spilled all over the floor. He quickly darted to the floor to pick them up.

"What is it?!" Aaron asked her, alarmed.

"He fell for the trap!" She explained excitedly. "Mama is in his computer!" She said with delight. She typed like crazy and bit her tongue so it poked out slightly from her lips. "Time to check this internet history."

"Look for anything relating to poisons," Aaron advised her, he tried to sit up straight and peak at her computer to watch what she was doing.

"I know, oh great and powerful leader. This isn't my first rodeo," she replied.

"...Penelope," Emily begun slowly. Penelope looked up at her curiously. "Have you hacked other people's computers before?"

"Not particularly...but you shouldn't try to hide your weakness for cat videos so much," Penelope answered. Emily's mouth popped open in shock, and David and Derek absolutely lost it as Penelope continued to go through the search history, her lips were obviously being forced to remain in the serious expression she attempted to sport.

A little while later she made a noise of pure frustration. "This is useless!" She declared. "I've checked everything, I've even double checked to make sure he hasn't deleted internet history, his searches are so boring that children should be rocked to sleep while these are read to them."

Spencer picked up a stray piece of pretzel salt he missed earlier and held it between his thumb and index finger. He thought things over in his head as the rest talked, they made sure Penelope had checked high and low.

"If someone doesn't do a search engine for something, they find it somewhere else," he mused aloud. The whole group looked at him, and he continued to gaze at the salt. As though it was what was providing him with the information. "I know that when I don't look something up, it's because I've already read it in a book."

Derek's eyebrows knit together and he looked at Spencer, perplexed. "Okay..." he said slowly. "Is there a point to this?"

"Check out if he's gotten any books from the school library," Spencer advised. Penelope nodded and typed rapidly into her computer. A few moments later she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"What is it?!" David asked in alarm as he ran up to her, kneeled, and tried to look over her shoulder.

"He's gotten various books on poisons. Some on toxicology, just...all different types. One is a big book which explains all types and what they do. The first one was taken out the very day after Kathryne died," Penelope informed them all.

"But that doesn't make sense," Derek said. "Wouldn't he have needed the book to kill Kathryne in the first place?"

"His tactics changes drastically for the second victim," Spencer observed. He flicked the salt straight into the air, and caught the hard pellet back in his palm when it came down. "Kathryne he poisoned and she died on the scene. It was quick and sudden. It wasn't for Richards. His poisoning was days in the making, but he still dropped exactly a week later," Spencer continued. "He'd need further knowledge to know exactly the amount for how to pull that off. Giving someone enough poison to kill them at the scene isn't too hard, but giving them the exact controlled amount to kill them in a precise amount of days would require more guidance."

"Would you really get all that from a book?" David asked him.

Spencer snorted. "You have no idea. If you ever want to learn how to become a successful serial killer, just go to the library."

"Considering you have a library in your head, I'm kind of afraid of you now," David said. Spencer looked at him in surprised, unsure whether or not he was kidding, but they boy's face gave up nothing.

"Does this mean it's him?" Penelope asked, she was clearly shaken. Her hands trembled above her keys, and her breathing was erratic.

"He rented out a few books on poisons," Aaron said, almost in a way to dismiss it. "It's not solid evidence."

"But it sure as hell makes him a more likely candidate," Derek fired back at him. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he'd stood up to start pacing. "I mean, think about it. The guy resents sports and everyone who plays them, his best subject is chemistry, and he's literally rented out books on the art of poison."

"That still isn't enough to send someone to prison, and it's not enough to accuse them of murder," Aaron replied back calmly. He flipped a pen within his fingertips thoughtfully, it moved with such fluidity that Spencer was almost captivated by it. "We need more."

"How are we going to get more?" David asked. "His search history is clean, and there's nothing in his records. We'd know, Penelope went back all the way to his birth. It's not like we can talk to him, he hates our guts."

"Not me," Spencer said in a tone that neared inaudibility. He squeezed the salt pellet in his palm, happy for the distraction. "He's been trying to get close to me."

"No way." Derek quickly caught on to where Spencer was heading. His tone left no room for arguments, neither did his posture. He'd stilled his pacing and stood tall and taut.

"If you guys want to know more about him I'm the only way you're going to achieve that," Spencer reminded them. "He's been trying to get close to me, if I gain his trust I could learn more about him."

"This is crazy," Derek said. "Somebody else please tell the kid he's crazy." At the silence that ensued after Derek's plea, Derek looked at them all, astonished. "This isn't a game! We think this guy might actually be killing people and you want to send him right to him? We might as well put a little bow on him and hand deliver!"

"I'll be careful," Spencer assured him desperately. Deep down, he was unsure of what on earth he thought he was doing. "I can do this! It's the only way to rule him out!"

"There's other ways," Derek argued.

"Then list me some!" Spencer argued back. At Derek's silence, he spoke again, "Exactly! This is the best option!"

"You've been here just shy of three weeks and you're already set to risk your life," Derek said and put his head in both his hands. "This is getting insane."

"This has been insane," Spencer countered. "This is our best option!"

"You guys, tell him he's crazy," Derek encouraged once more. When the silence followed his request again, he looked around the room in astonishment. "You can't be serious."

"You have to be careful," Aaron said to Spencer sternly. Derek continued to stare at him in disbelief. "Don't be alone with him unless it's in public."

"Pay attention to everything," Emily continued. "Even things that seem unimportant."

"You're fine sending the pig into the slaughterhouse?" Derek asked. His eyes reflected how much he hated the idea.

"I agree with Derek," Penelope said and stuck her hand up to try to grasp at Derek's. "This is bad. He's just a little boy."

"I'm only two years younger than you," Spencer replied with a deep frown. "I'll be fine."

Derek looked at David and gestured toward Spencer. "You okay with this, man?"

David opened and closed his mouth a few times, he looked undecided. In the end, all he could muster was a shrug of the shoulders.

"Great, we're sending the kid to a possible death and you're indifferent," Derek snarled at him. David opened his arms and looked at Derek, insulted.

"I'm not indifferent, man, but I'm not thinking of too many other options. Unless you want to become Liam's new BFF," David said. Derek just continued to glare at him. "We set rules, and he'll be fine. Kid's a genius."

"A genius, but still a kid," Penelope fired back at him.

"Spencer," Aaron's voice was a welcome sound. It was calm, even, understanding. "Are you sure you'd like to do this?"

Spencer hesitated for only a moment at that question. Was he sure? If Liam really was the killer, he was thrusting himself into a possibly very dangerous situation. But there was no other alternative. "Yes," he answered firmly, bravely.

"Alright, then." Aaron nodded his head. He looked around the room, the mix of nervousness, anger, and Spencer's determination. "Then it's settled."

Spencer gulped. It was settled indeed, if they wanted to figure out if Liam was the killer, Spencer was going to have to get close to him first.

God help him.


	8. Chapter 8

**WARNING: Just want to warn everyone that there is verbal bullying in this chapter! I know some people can be understandably sensitive to that, and I don't want anyone to get hurt from this, so please proceed with caution! **

Spencer had awoken on Monday morning miserable. He'd spent all of Sunday with Liam Lockwood, and it seemed to have been an utterly pointless experience. He'd met up with Liam at breakfast and asked if he could sit at his table with his friends. Liam's face had turned smug, and he'd nodded, then he and his friends had all had proceeded to make room for him. Spencer had cast a look of longing across the dining hall, towards his former table. Penelope had blown him a kiss and made a little heart with her hands as she looked at him sympathetically, and Derek had given him a thumbs up.

Spencer wasn't overly fond of Liam's friends, either. As it turned out, Liam had a girlfriend. Her name was Scarlett. She had fiery red hair that was straight and hung limply past her shoulders. Scarlett's uniform was ironed to perfection, and Spencer saw her look at his rumpled clothing in disgust. Everything Spencer had was neat, but he really had never put any effort into the condition of his clothing. He always had tucked his shirt in, and assumed it to be enough. Aaron had even one day tried to teach him the way to straighten his tie, but he'd ended up just giving up and ended up fixing Spencer's tie himself.

Liam's other friends were two guys named Sawyer and Owen, a girl named Amelia, and Owen's girlfriend Ella. Spencer had learned even just during breakfast that no one except Owen was fond of Ella. She chewed a little loudly, smacked her lips together a lot when she talked, took a long time to finish basic sentences, appeared exhausted, twitched a lot, and had a tendency to enunciate wrong. But once Spencer had gotten past all that, she had turned into his favorite person who sat at the table. Not like the competition had been intense, but she had been kind to him. When Ella had seen that his omelet was undercooked, she'd hurried to cut her own in half and offer it to him. Scarlett had rolled her eyes, as though Ella had done something that was much more annoying than her actual kind gesture.

The main thing they all had talked about was classes, and then what they planned to do for the rest of the day. Spencer had done it all with them. They had seen a movie, which Spencer found ultimately unenjoyable. Especially since Owen and Ella had turned out to be movie talkers, and neither seemed to know how to whisper, not to mention that Sawyer ate all the popcorn.

Afterwards they'd all gone to a café, where Spencer still couldn't drink coffee because the whole table got into a discussion about whether or not it was dangerously addictive, and all ordered herbal teas. Ella and Owen had also split a cinnamon roll, which had lead to Spencer overhearing Scarlett make a snippy comment to Amelia about. She'd said something about the fat content, and Ella already "struggling". Amelia had giggled and quickly scanned the other girl over with her eyes. Spencer had frowned at the utterly cruel nature of it. Especially since it was obvious Ella had overheard it.

The worst part of it all had been the slight shots that they'd sent towards his friends throughout the day. In every conversation where they had been brought up, there had been some slight shot taken at them. Even Ella had done it. It was blatantly obvious that they all thought themselves to be better than his group, which had Spencer clutching his fists to hold back his anger. He hadn't known the others for long, but in the little while he had known them he'd grown very fond of them. They were the only friends he'd ever had. He felt as though he were associating with the same people who mocked him prior to boarding school.

Spencer told their group that he'd probably still eat breakfast with his friends Monday, because they'd been so nice to him and he hadn't wanted them to feel abandoned. All of them, minus Liam, had rolled their eyes like he'd said the stupidest thing in the world. Liam had merely agreed, and said that they'd save him a seat in case he changed his mind, and that Spencer should try to sit with them for either lunch or dinner. Spencer had easily accepted the invitation, since he knew he had to remain close to Liam to gather as much on him as possible.

"Rise and shine, kid," Derek greeted and begun to shake Spencer, who he hadn't known had already awakened, and was doing a mental review of the prior day. "It's time to get up."

"You're up before Aaron?" Spencer inquired with surprise. He'd turned away from his wall to look at the two boys; Aaron had sat straight up after Derek had awoken Spencer, and looked bleary eyed around the room.

"What can I say?" Derek asked. "I'm maturing."

"That or the world is ending," Aaron said dryly. He tossed both legs over his bed. "Knowing you, I'd go with the second option."

"Damn," Derek winced and held a hand to his heart, as though Aaron had mortally wounded him with his words. "Last day on earth and you're still a jackass to me."

Aaron rolled his eyes, but other than that ignored Derek's remark as he got up and went to the drawers. "Spencer, you were tuckered out when you got back up here; we'll talk more about everything at breakfast," he said absent-mindedly as he stumbled out of the room.

Spencer watched after Aaron with both of his eyebrows raised. He looked at Derek, as though he would have a clue of what Spencer had just witnessed. Derek simply chuckled. "You have just witnessed the now rare occurrence of Aaron out of sorts." He released a happy sigh of contentment. "It's a sight for sore eyes."

"Seriously," Spencer's voice was full of both sleep and curiosity. "What on earth did he used to be like?"

Derek grinned. "Kid, if I told you, you'd never believe me."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Well?" Penelope pressed as soon as he sat down at the table for breakfast. "Anything?"

"Yes, there were three skeletons hidden in his closet, a container of poison in his back pocket, and he tortures babies on the weekends," Spencer replied dryly as he stabbed his fork into the yolk of the egg and watched morbidly as the yellow liquid leaked out of the puncture wounds.

"So now he decides to be funny," David responded blankly. "Unbelievable."

"Spencer," Emily cut in impatiently. "It's officially been three weeks. Today is the day. We need some type of information."

Spencer sighed and stabbed at the remainder of his yolk in frustration. "I didn't get anything of use," he admitted, ashamed. "All I learned was that I officially like books more than people."

"Well gee, thanks," David responded.

Spencer's eyes widened, and he smiled sheepishly. "Most...people?"

"Nice save," Derek said sarcastically. "So, what? You spent the whole day with them and you've got nothing?"

"Ella talks too slow, Owen talks too much, Sawyer is a human garbage disposal, Amelia likes Owen, and thinks she's subtle, and they all have a superiority complex," Spencer explained as he cut up the white of his eggs, and separated them from the leaky yolk.

"That's it? Nothing about Liam?" Emily pressed on. They all had leaned in around him, as if Spencer was about to spill the secret that would make everything okay again.

"He...uh...really doesn't like you guys," Spencer replied cautiously. They all had looked unperturbed by the fact, it was obvious it wasn't news.

"No shit, Sherlock," David said. He looked frustrated. "Spencer, you were around this guy all day, and you've got nothing?"

"It takes some time," Spencer defended himself. He was frustrated and disappointed in himself for not having learned anything worthwhile, so his own frustration was bubbling to the surface. "I've known you guys three weeks and I don't even know your favorite colors." He paused. "Except Penelope's."

"Actually, despite popular belief, it's magenta," Penelope explained. Emily put her head in both of her hands.

"Spencer, we don't have time," Aaron hissed at him. Spencer flinched at the anger he heard in the voice. "Today is the day."

"Just, think about it," Emily recommended. She'd lifted her head from her hands and met his eyes. "Think over every little detail, like we talked about."

"She's right," Aaron agreed, his eyes were still intense, and made Spencer want to shrink away from him. "Try closing your eyes and going back over details."

Spencer frowned, but obeyed. He walked himself through all the events that had happened the day prior. His request to sit at their table for breakfast, the smug look on Liam's face.

"He was pleased that I sat with them," Spencer informed them. "That may show this was either his plan, or that he doesn't see me as a threat."

"Okay," Emily encouraged. "That's good, Spencer. Go on."

"The others weren't surprised," Spencer realized. "They all immediately welcomed me to the table, that means they knew about me."

"You sure he's not in love with you?" David joked. Spencer still had his eyes closed, but he'd heard the sound of what he believed to be Emily hitting David in the arm.

"They never brought up the two victims," Spencer continued to speak, not bothered by David's comment. "So I have no idea how they feel about it, or them."

"Did he display any hostility towards anyone?" Aaron inquired.

"Just you guys," Spencer replied.

"Lucky us," David joked. Spencer heard the smack again, but that time it was accompanied by David actually yelling 'ouch!'.

"I don't know, guys," Spencer sighed with visible disappointment as he opened up his eyes again. He was met with almost equally as disappointed faces. "I'll see if I can dig anything up at dinner."

"By then it might be too late," Derek said, he looked down at his untouched eggs morbidly.

"...Lunch?" Spencer offered meekly.

"Okay," Aaron cut in before David could, quite possibly, yell at Spencer. He'd kept his voice calm, and void of any identifiable emotion. Spencer wondered if it was because he'd seen Spencer's earlier reaction the his anger. "Here's what you do; just stay near Liam all day, okay? Watch where he's going, if he's keeping an eye on anybody, everything. Got me?"

Spencer nodded, as much as he'd dreaded spending another day with Liam, he knew it to be necessary. He felt fear curl up in his gut as he realized that if they were right about the killer, another student could die that very day...and two of their own were options.

"Hey," Derek put a warm hand on his shoulder, and jostled him. He offered a strained attempt of a comforting smile. "It'll be okay, alright?"

"Right." Spencer smiled back, but it was forced, and he hadn't truly believed Derek's words. He doubted Derek had, either.

"You two." Aaron referred to both David and Derek. "Keep an eye on all your teammates. If anyone is feeling ill, get them to the doctor's immediately."

"If anyone stops breathing it could be cyanide poisoning," Spencer explained. "Do CPR, but do not give them mouth to mouth," he explained, he had the whole group's attention. "Side effects include, headache, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, chest pain, fast heartbeat, loss of consciousness, and...well...seizures," he explained the last part gravely, and the whole table turned solem.

"This is insane," Penelope breathed with despair. "This is all insane."

"Babygirl," Derek reached across the table and grabbed for her hand. She let him hold it, and looked at him desperately. "It'll be okay, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she warned him.

Derek smiled warmly. "You know I never do."

Spencer looked between the two of them. He still felt confused about their relationship. Derek treated her with tenderness, and his eyes always held fondness and love when he gazed at her; but it was never the same look a guy gave his girlfriend. It was the same for Penelope. She flirted with him, and looked to him for comfort, and her eyes always held love for him. It was incredible that two people could have a love so great, that a relationship wouldn't ever cover the truth of it. As far as Spencer could tell, neither of them held much interest in a romantic relationship with one another. Penelope would sometimes make eyes at other guys, and Derek made eyes at...well...Derek was Derek. Penelope was even easier for Spencer to understand than Derek. Penelope was made up of unicorns, rainbows, happy smiles, sugar, spice, and everything nice. Derek was complicated. But Spencer hadn't even once doubted, since the night that Derek had shown the fort to him, that Derek was a good guy. Rough around the edges at times, and cheeky at others, but ultimately, he was kind at heart.

"At sports practice you two have to be on high alert," Aaron's voice had interrupted Spencer's thoughts. "Don't drink anything, and watch everyone else's drinks."

"What if I just drink bottled water?" David asked, he was obviously none too fond of the idea of drinking nothing after a long practise. Spencer couldn't blame him, when he simply walked up the stairs he felt the intense need to drink a gallon of water, himself.

"Kathryne only drank bottled water," Aaron argued.

"Man, hers was open," Derek cut in.

"Should we really risk it?" Aaron snapped. Derek held his hands up in submission.

"Another eye might help," Spencer suggested. Everyone looked at him in confusion. "Someone to watch over it all to make sure nobody puts anything in the drinks," he elaborated.

"I call football!" Penelope cheered and raised her hand immediately, Derek had long since released it. Her former eagerness had returned slightly, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"No, man," Derek disagreed. "We're not putting other people in danger."

"It's in public, and whoever is doing this hasn't attacked anyone physically," Spencer reminded him. "It shouldn't be dangerous."

"Spencer makes a good point," Aaron agreed. "He hangs around Liam to make sure he doesn't do anything, and we hang around the practices to make sure no one else does anything," Aaron explained. "It's a good way to keep our eyes on the suspect, while also keeping our eyes on any other probabilities."

"Yeah, except there aren't enough enough of us to look after all the sports practises," Emily pointed out. "Some sports haven't started yet, but under athletics there's still guys and girls volleyball."

"Look, okay, I'll be fine looking over everything," Derek dismissed them. "David should be, too. So you guys should just cover the others."

"Don't we have a swim team?" David inquired, he spoke while his mouth was filled with egg. It had made Spencer wrinkle his nose in disgust. David had noticed his expression, and just rolled his eyes.

"It was listed as a club, and it got shut down," Aaron replied.

"I'll take the girl's soccer, then," Penelope volunteered. "I might get a chance to talk to Jennifer after."

"I'll take girls volleyball, then," Emily said. "I don't think Aaron creeping around a girl's practice would look good," she pointed out.

They all nodded, except Spencer, who looked abnormally sad. Derek sighed and gave the kid a pat on his back. "I know it sucked yesterday, kid, but this is important."

Spencer shook his head, "That's not what I'm sad about," he said. Derek looked at him with evident confusion. "I won't get to help Mason."

"Who?" David inquired.

"The groundskeeper," Spencer explained. "I help him with the garden."

"...Why?" David looked at him with complete confusion, as though Spencer had just said he kept a garden of heads that he fed the blood of the innocent to keep alive.

"...Because it's fun."

"He wants to learn to carve a pumpkin," Derek interjected. David looked even more baffled.

"Why?!" He asked.

"Because I've never carved one," Spencer answered simply.

"You're a genius and THIS is your deepest desire?!"

"That's enough," Aaron growled before Spencer could even reply. Everyone looked at each other, worried. Aaron's right eye was twitching. "This is a bit more important. Spencer, spend lunch and dinner with Liam, and all the time you can manage in between. We all have our roles for the sports practice. Penelope, see if you can get out of Jennifer what Kathryne said, it could be vital information. Do you all understand me?"

"Yes, sir, boss, sir," Penelope saluted jokingly and Aaron rolled his eyes, but the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Remember, this might be kept under wraps, so tomorrow make sure all the sports players are still here," Aaron ordered.

"We get it, man," Derek told him. "We'll be on high-alert. No worries."

"Maybe this is still all nothing," Penelope suggested, her voice shaky, and her eyes held fleeting hope. "Maybe no one will die."

"Maybe they won't," Aaron agreed. "But we need to be careful."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Hi!" Spencer caught up with Liam right after breakfast. He'd gotten an encouraging look from his table, and offered a tiny smile back at them. They all had their jobs to do, it was time for him to do his.

Liam turned to look at Spencer, and offered him a grin. "Hello, Spencer," he greeted primly. "How was breakfast?" The latter part was said with bemusement. Spencer had to control himself so not to roll his eyes.

"It was fine, my food was cooked this time," he told him pleasantly. They walked out of the dining hall together, a herd of other students pressed into them, unconcerned with the violation of personal space "But would you mind if I ate lunch and dinner with you guys?" He inquired innocently.

Liam looked at him with initial surprise, that soon turned into his usual smugness, which he then tried to mask with delight. "Of course!" He said. "We'd love to have you sit with us. Your company is always welcome."

Spencer smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much," he said. "Just out of curiosity, what do you do for free time? You know, during sports practice and everything. It's just, my group is really obsessed with it and the ones that aren't do their own thing and it just kind of leaves me alone," Spencer lied.

"We mainly get together to study," Liam responded. "You're more than welcome to join us in my room."

"That would be great," Spencer said with more enthusiasm than he felt. He'd rather have been out aiding Mason. "But I don't know where your room is."

"That's alright," Liam replied. "I'll lead you there after chemistry."

"That's perfect." Spencer smiled shyly. "Thanks so much."

"It's no problem," Liam said, his grin was wide and almost seemed to border on dangerous. "I'll see you then. I gotta get my stuff."

Spencer nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me too, I'll see you in class."

Liam gave him a small wave before he was off. Spencer released a long, loud, breath of despair. Boarding school was about to get even less pleasant.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Lunch had been boring. That was the only word Spencer could possibly think of to describe it. The conversation was mild, and low-key at best. For a group of friends, they really hadn't seemed to enjoy each other's company too much. Owen talked the most out of all of them, but he only seemed to talk about things that no one else enjoyed or could share his interest in. He held a one man conversation. Every time Ella spoke, Scarlett made a noise of displeasure, and would look at Amelia who would roll her eyes and mouth out an insult.

When it had ended, Spencer almost ran out of the dining hall with immense amounts of joy, but was able to tone himself down enough to say goodbye, and to say he'd see them all in class and during free-time. He'd even mustered up a falsified look of eagerness.

He'd found himself glued to Liam's side. They had many of the same classes, and so he was constantly around him. The boy spoke idly about very little as they walked through the halls, and in class he was quiet as a mouse, absorbed into the subject at hand. It was one thing Spencer actually found himself appreciating about him, was his dedication to his work. Spencer was at the point where the subjects all bored him. The words spoken melted together with the ones he already had memorized in his head, and only managed to give him a migraine. He'd read it all before, long ago. It just intensified the feeling of not belonging.

He hadn't thought himself above his classmates, but he thought himself above the grade level in which he was shoved in. Spencer's Mother had so much faith in him, in his abilities. Spencer felt ashamed at the fact that he hadn't been able to go further in the school system, shame in the fact he wasn't already heading towards a PhD like he knew he could have been. He could have accomplished so much more. But he was stuck in the same old classes, to learn the same things he'd learned about long before. The A's hadn't even meant anything to him; because he hadn't felt like he'd earned them. He'd seen students tugging their own hair out of their heads as they tried to grasp a subject, while he could have gotten up to teach the class himself. They were the ones who deserved praise for how hard they worked, not him.

But his Father refused to listen to him. Spencer saw the way he stared at him. His Father was never proud of him, not one bit. All William Reid had wanted was a normal son he could show off. Not a freak. Not someone who could read you War and Peace just from what he had of it stored in his head, but floundered in any given social situation. He wasn't what his Father had wanted, but he was what his Mother had adored, which was why he felt as though his life would eternally be unfair.

~.~.~.~.

After AP chemistry had ended, Liam had waited for him outside the classroom, as promised. He perked up when he saw Spencer exit, and gave the boy a wave. "Ready?" He inquired.

"Mhm," Spencer hummed. They both begun to walk, and Spencer looked behind himself at the direction to the garden with longing. He'd wanted so badly to ditch Liam, to run to the gardens and help out Mason. Mason who understood what it was like to be lonely, and actually enjoyed his company. But he knew what he had to do. He always did what he had to do.

"So, what did you think of class today?" Liam inquired. It was obvious small talk to fill in conversation gaps until they reached his dorm room.

"Chemistry? It was...interesting," he lied. He'd already known everything the teacher had taught them, and it was almost an identical class to the one they had the first week. He would have fallen asleep, but he hadn't wanted the trouble that would have followed.

"You're a terrible liar," Liam informed him dryly. "What didn't you like about it?"

Spencer shrugged. "The lesson was repetitive, the teacher seemed annoyed, and tired, I had already learned the material, and the person seated beside me wouldn't stop tapping his pencil," he answered honestly.

Liam seemed surprised by the blunt answer, despite the fact he had asked for it. "Do you not like chemistry?"

"I like chemistry. That's why I found the class so boring. I liked it, so I already learned it," Spencer replied simply.

Liam looked at him oddly, but seemed to shake it off. The rest of the walk to his room was made silently, which Spencer hadn't minded entirely. He'd never been good at small talk. It had its place in the world, but he just had never been able to master it.

So they walked in silence.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Liam's room hadn't been up nearly as many stairs as his was, so Spencer took joy in that small victory. His room was roughly the same size, but it only had one bed in it, which had made Spencer frown, did Liam have his own bedroom?

The bed had different blankets and sheets than the standard ones that he, Aaron, and Derek all had, too. They looked to be silk, and expensive. He supposed Liam's parents sent them to school with him. Not that he could much blame him for it, Spencer himself found the sheets they were given a tad bit scratchy, and the pillows to be far too soft. His head often plummeted into them so deep he could feel the mattress beneath it.

Liam's other friends were already in the room, and were all seated either on the floor or in chairs, no one had taken a seat on Liam's bed. So they obviously all had more consideration for personal objects than Spencer's own group of friends had. No one in the group had any problem plopping down on Spencer's bed instead of their own if they were too tired. One night Spencer was especially sick of it and considered the pros and cons of smothering Derek with a pillow.

"Hey, Spencer," Owen greeted awkwardly. It was accompanied by a tiny little wave that didn't look enthusiastic or genuine. "Good to have you with us."

"Yeah, who doesn't want a genius to help them study?" Amelia agreed, though she had about the same level of sincerity as Owen. Spencer hadn't taken much offense to it, they hadn't even seemed to like each other all that much.

"You'd be surprised," Spencer joked weakly.

"Well you don't have to worry much," Scarlett told him. She was seated on a swivel chair in the corner of the room, a textbook underneath one of her arms. "We're all pretty much straight A students...well." She cast a glance down to the floor where Ella sat next to Owen. The girl's lips were bright blue, and she had a lollipop in her mouth. She seemed oblivious to the fact that Scarlett's eyes were on her. "Most of us," Scarlett finished. Ella still seemed to not have a clue, and Spencer couldn't help but pity her.

"Do you have your notes with you?" Amelia asked Spencer, her eyes critically looked over his entire form.

Spencer shook his head and shuffled his feet awkwardly. The only thing he'd had with him was his chemistry textbook, which he hadn't the chance to bring back to his room. "I can keep mental notes," he explained.

"Well it must help to keep written ones," Amelia said.

"Not really. It just eats up time," he continued to explain. It almost seemed to annoy Amelia, who looked away from him in a huff.

"Well, take a seat," Liam cut in awkwardly. He gestured around the room and walked past Spencer to take a seat on his own bed. "Anywhere you'd like."

Spencer looked around the room. There were no free chairs available, and the only spots close to the rest of them were next to Ella and Owen, so he sat next to Owen. He felt out of place. Not at all like he had with the other group. While he sometimes felt...abnormal with them, they were all abnormal, and together they fit. With Liam's group of friends, there were no jagged lines, everyone fit together perfectly and evenly, and there was no room for imperfection.

Spencer felt like the blemish on an otherwise spotless face.

"So, Spencer," Ella spoke slowly. Spencer gave her his attention, while the others all rolled their eyes. All except Owen, who simply smiled lovingly at her. "Do you like biology?"

Spencer nodded. "I enjoy it very much," he answered. "It's a broad field, and a fascinating one."

Ella smiled tightly. "I'm bad at it," she informed him. "The names of everything are confusing."

"Not if you learn to pronounce them right," Amelia muttered under her breath. Spencer had barely caught it, and Scarlett giggled.

"Uh, lemme see your notes," Spencer offered. Ella placed the lollipop fully in her mouth, she then proceeded to hand her notes over immediately, and Spencer read them quickly. "You got the DNA and RNA bases confused," he told her.

"Huh?" She asked in confusion.

"You must have written them down too fast. It's not a big mistake. They match up just about equally except that RNA doesn't have thymine, it has uracil. So that would make it so adenine is equal to uracil in the RNA, and in the DNA it matches up to thymine. Uracil and thymine are almost chemically identical, but uracil lacks its 5′ methyl group," Spencer explained calmly.

"It's basic, really," Scarlett snipped.

Ella flushed bright red, and Spencer took pity on her. "If you could give me your pencil, I'll correct it for you," he offered kindly.

Ella nodded her head frantically, and handed him her pencil. "If you could add the other stuff, too, that'd be nice," she said. Spencer nodded as he erased her writing and replaced it with his own.

"So, Spencer," Amelia spoke up again as Spencer went through the rest of Ella's notes and subtly fixed some and added to others. He made a small humming noise in response to Amelia. "What made you decide to come to boarding school?"

"My Father thought it would be a better education," he replied plainly.

"Did you go to public school before?" Amelia inquired. She said "public school" like how someone would say "dirty laundry" or "garbage".

"Yes," Spencer answered quickly.

"Not even private school?" Sawyer asked, his mouth full of cheetos.

"Nope," Spencer said.

"How do you like it here?" Owen asked. Spencer frowned, he had hoped that the "study" session would involve more studying.

"It's alright," he replied. He was just going to leave it at that, but he decided to delve in deeper, as his group had wanted him to do the day prior. "It was a rough first day here, though."

The room grew quiet, everyone had known what he had been referring to. "Yes," Owen was the first to agree with him. "It was."

"Stuff like that doesn't happen here," Scarlett told him. Spencer noted that Liam was unnaturally quiet. "It was frightening."

"I still say it's because that idiot spiked the punch," Amelia huffed. "Who does that at a boarding school party?"

"The kind that gets in here strictly because he's good at sports," Scarlett answered. "The type that doesn't belong here."

Spencer frowned. "What do you mean?"

The two both had the decency to widen their eyes, they had probably momentarily forgotten that Spencer was friends with David. That, or they'd remembered and just wanted to play innocent.

"What they mean is," Liam spoke up, Spencer immediately looked at him. "David Rossi is mainly here because he's a good soccer player, so they overlooked his less than impressive GPA."

Spencer frowned. "I...didn't know they did that at boarding schools."

"This one does it," Amelia said. "You know, my Mom says its all gone to hell because of it. This school used to home the brightest minds, and for some reason they wanted to work on their sports department."

"It's because schools are shoving sports down our throats," Owen chimed in. "Some schools are even making it mandatory."

"It's unfair," Scarlett said. "Good students are getting passed by because someone can throw a ball. That's the only reason Derek Morgan is here. I also heard extra money was thrown in just to get him away from his house."

Spencer felt a bit of anger flare up within him, Derek was his friends, and he was very secretive about his personal life.

"That's enough," Liam surprised Spencer with his words. "Spencer's friends with Derek."

"I don't get that," Scarlett said to Spencer. "You're beyond intelligent. You skipped two grades, and you don't even need to take notes in class. Why are you hanging out with them?"

Many different replies had flown through Spencer's mind. Many different ways he could have defended his friends; but he knew if he said a single one of them, he'd never be allowed to hang out with Liam's group again, and that possibly meant forfeiting any vital information. So he merely responded, "They're friends of my roommates."

"Doesn't mean you have to hang out with them all the time," Scarlett pointed out. Her eyes observed Spencer analytically, in a way almost more unnerving than Aaron's.

"I'm not with them right now, am I?" Spencer shot back.

Scarlett actually smiled, her eyes flashed almost with a type of appreciation. "No," she agreed. "I guess you're not."

"You really shouldn't at all anymore." Amelia couldn't seem to give up. "I mean, David Rossi pretty much killed somebody!"

That sent a shock right to Spencer's gut. He'd expected a lot of things, but the accusation of David being the person behind Kathryne's death was especially horrifying. "She didn't drink the punch," Spencer reminded her.

"That we know of!" Amelia cried out. "I mean, who knows if he put anything else in it? He's dangerous to this school, I've tried telling Strauss that."

"I heard he was a mobster before he came here," Ella added in. Spencer almost ripped up her notes in spite. "That he was sent here by his parents to try to better himself."

"He wants to join the military," Spencer stated. His voice was much too tight, and held an obvious note of annoyance in it. "Marines, specifically."

"Oh God," Owen groaned. "Could you imagine having someone like David Rossi in the military?"

"I wouldn't be surprised," Amelia said. "It's what the world is coming to."

"I apologize, Spencer," Liam said with a glare directed towards his, seemingly oblivious, friends. "Once they get going they just don't stop."

"We're really just looking out for him," Amelia told him. "He should know who he's been hanging around with."

"Amelia has a point," Sawyer agreed. His hands were covered in orange gunk, and it made it hard for Spencer to take him seriously. "He should know what he's getting into."

"Isn't Emily Prentiss's Mother an ambassador?" Ella inquired. Scarlett and Amelia rolled their eyes.

"Yes, everyone knows that," Scarlett answered. "Doesn't make her any less trashy."

Spencer frowned deeply at the insult tossed at Emily. There were many words to describe Emily, and probably even more than his extensive vocabulary knew, but "trashy" was not one of them. Emily was an incredible person, and someone that in just three weeks Spencer had grown to admire.

"Everyone knows how she slept with Doug Eccleston in sophomore year," Amelia commented. Spencer's eyes widened in surprise at the remark.

"Please," Scarlett scoffed. "She slept with everyone sophomore year."

"That's nothing compared to how many girls have slept with Derek Morgan," Amelia added with a roll of her eyes. "Any girl that sleeps with him has no self respect."

"Did any of you guys know her?" Spencer switched the subject. He was scared he might have changed it too quickly, but he could no longer handle the insults that were carelessly tossed at his friends. As someone who had often been bullied, Spencer knew how much words could hurt a person.

"Who?" Owen asked in confusion. "Emily Prentiss?"

"No," Spencer said. "Kathryne."

The room once again grew silent, and Spencer let his eyesight wander over to Liam, who sat stiff on the bed. His textbook was spread out in front of him, and he was idly writing in his notebook, but his hand seemed to freeze where it was. A response that Spencer immediately took a mental note of.

"She was a soccer player," Amelia was the first to answer him. "I don't really hang around soccer players much." Everyone made small noises of agreement, except Liam, who Spencer noted wouldn't even meet their gaze. A sign of guilt.

"It was scary," Ella said with fright.

"You weren't even there," Scarlett scoffed at her. Ella looked at her in alarm.

"Yes I was," she argued, her voice shook slightly.

"No you weren't," Amelia agreed. "We looked all around for you, you weren't there."

"Well, I was," Ella insisted. "I saw the whole thing happen."

"Baby," Owen cut in with a kind smile directed at his girlfriend. "It's okay if you weren't."

"Well I was," Ella informed them angrily. "I saw her drink her bottle, and then flop onto the ground a few moments later."

Now that not only got Spencer's attention, but Liam's head shot up as well to look at her with surprise. Spencer attempted to hide his own reaction, but he looked out of the corner of his eye and saw that Liam's mouth was still agape and he could almost see the boy's chest move with the rapid beat of his heart.

If he wanted something to strengthen their case, he was pretty sure he'd just received it.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

"It's him," Emily said with surety after Spencer had told his story.

"We still don't have proof," Aaron told them, which made them all groan. But he held up his hands in appeasement. "But the case is growing."

"Well, at least Spencer got something," Penelope said sadly. "I tried to talk to Jennifer after soccer practice about what she said. But she told me to forget it, and that it was stupid."

"Still doesn't change what she already told you, babygirl," Derek assured her and tossed an arm around her. They were both seated on his bed, side by side. The rest of the group had reported that there was nothing abnormal about the sports practices they had all sat in on. Except for the fact that David had taken great joy in hearing that Aaron had almost gotten caught watching.

"His own room would give him the privacy he needed to do all this," David chimed in. "If he had anything, he wouldn't have to hide it from a roommate."

"Did he say anything else, Spencer?" Aaron asked. Spencer bit his lip and looked directly at David, but held it all in. He'd left their accusation out, he hadn't wanted to hurt the other boy.

"No," Spencer lied. But they all had seen right through it.

"Come on, kid," Derek encouraged. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing." Spencer stuck with his lie, but his eyes betrayed him and he glanced at David quickly, the other boy caught it. "Nothing else of use."

"Oh, was it about me?" David asked with amusement. "Come on, let's hear it!"

"He didn't say anything about you." Spencer comforted himself with at least that part being partially truthful. The part he was scared of revealing to David hadn't been said by Liam.

"You suck at lying," David told him. "Come on."

Spencer looked around the room desperately, but no one else jumped in to say anything or to help him out. They all seemed to support David's decision to hear it. "They just said a lot about all of you," Spencer informed them honestly. He didn't want to hurt David. Or any of them.

"Like..." David urged him on, apparently not willing to just let it hang there.

"Come on, kid," Derek joined in. "We've heard it all."

"Just that you guys were bad influences, and that I shouldn't hang out with you," Spencer whispered, and tried to leave out the worst parts.

"Yeah, we know that part, tell us what else," David continued. His eyes were lit up, as though he were overjoyed to hear the terrible thing spoken about himself.

"That was all of it," Spencer stuck by his story.

"Maybe what they said was important, Spencer," Emily added in.

"Trust me, it's not," Spencer assured them as he kicked his feet against the floor awkwardly.

"Okay, Spencer, we're friends, right?" Derek asked him. Spencer nodded quickly. "Good! Now, as friends, if people say bad things about us, you have to tell us. It's a rule."

Spencer frowned at that. He hadn't had friends before, so he couldn't disprove the logic, but it didn't sound right to him. "Why would you want to know if people say bad things about you?"

"Because you've got to know what people are saying. If it's a rumor, the average person would probably want to disprove it. I would rather laugh, but that's just me," David told him.

"Fine," Spencer begrudgingly agreed. He eyed the floor, wary of what he was to say. "They said David and Derek are only here because they can play sports. That anyone who sleeps with Derek has no self-respect-." David laughed hysterically and Derek glared down at him. "That Emily is trashy-." Emily snorted, Spencer decided to leave out the part about her and the Doug guy. "Then also that...um...they talked again about how David spiked the punch," Spencer finished.

"They said something else, too. Come on, don't hold back," David encouraged.

Spencer remembered the look on David's face the first day when he did think it was his fault, and felt his words catch in his throat. But the other boy just wouldn't let it drop. "One of the girls think what happened to Kathryne is your fault," he said softly. He hung his head, unable to meet David's gaze.

There was utter silence in the room. Spencer kept his head down, he didn't want to see David's face. He knew he shouldn't have said anything. He felt terrible. But they'd just kept pushing. He'd tried multiple times not to say it.

"It wasn't," David stated thickly. He had emotions Spencer couldn't quite pinpoint in his voice. But it definitely had no hint of his former amusement. "It wasn't my fault."

"We all know that, man," Derek said. Everyone nodded frantically in agreement.

"She didn't even drink the punch," Emily agreed.

"They were mean about everyone," Spencer attempted to comfort him softly. "Amelia would say something terrible about a rock if she could," he joked weakly.

"Do you guys think it was possible that it was my-." David was cut off as soon as the words had begun to leave his mouth.

"No!" Almost everyone said at once. Aaron then took over and spoke up, "David, it wasn't your fault. You put a bit of liquor in the punch, which she didn't drink. It wasn't you. They're just looking to blame something on you."

"They'll say whatever they can about us to make us look bad," Emily agreed.

"Does everyone in school think it was my fault?" David asked, his mind obviously unable to detach itself from the topic.

"I haven't heard a thing," Penelope assured him. "It's probably just Amelia."

"Amelia is a bitch, anyway," Emily commented. "She puts everyone down to make herself feel better."

"...not a bad kisser though." Derek grinned. The whole room looked at him in shock.

"There's no way," David said. Apparently, Derek kissing Amelia was the only thing that could break him out of his other thoughts.

"Sophomore year," Derek told them proudly.

"She's the one that said any girl that sleeps with you has no self-respect," Spencer informed him with disbelief.

Derek laughed. "She's just bitter because I made out with Katie Stevens the following week, and took Katie to homecoming."

"You also hit that the following year," David reminded him with a grin.

"Hell yeah I did." Derek grinned back, and leaned down from the bed so that the two could high-five.

Emily made a gagging noise and Penelope just giggled. "You boys are so gross," Emily said.

David and Derek laughed, but David's face quickly fell again. He looked around the room hesitantly, eyed all of them critically. "I didn't mean to actually hurt anyone. You guys know that, right?" He asked with insecurity. He said it in a way that Spencer had never heard him spoken before. "It was just a dumb joke. If I'd thought anyone would have gotten hurt by it, I never would have done it."

"David," Aaron said softly. "No one did get hurt from it."

"I know." David nodded. "It's just...I know the things people say about me," he said sadly. "I know you guys know it, too...and it's not true."

"Man, we know it's not true," Derek told him gently.

"David, we've known you for years, and even Spencer has only known you for three weeks and he even knows it's not true," Emily spoke gently, and Spencer nodded his head to prove her point.

At the silence that followed, Spencer spoke up. He found he never quite said the right thing, but besides all that, he felt compelled to speak. "I used to have people say bad things about me all the time," he told the room softly. He fiddled with his hands to try to distract himself from the memories. "Everyone always believed them, and everyone always hated me. But...it doesn't matter. As long as you know that what people say isn't true, then who cares what other people think?" he asked softly. "In a few years...none of them will matter."

The room grew dead silent after that. Everyone looked as though they had so many things to say, but none probably knew quite how to say it. Situations such as the one they were in were delicate, one wong move could truly hurt a friend, and worsen the entire situation. It almost highlighted Spencer's bravery that he had chosen to speak at all. Especially since he'd offered up personal information, which was rarely spoken about amongst the group.

"Heh, guess you got a point," David agreed with him with a small smile. "After school I'll probably never see Amelia again."

"But you'll see plenty of us," Penelope said. "Because we're not going anywhere! Even if you go into the military! We'll be waiting here for you!"

David smiled at her with obvious affection, and Derek placed a hand down on his shoulder to shake him with fondness. "So, how did a jerk like myself get you guys as friends again?"

"You're damn lucky, man," Derek told him as he laughed. "You're damn lucky."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had awoken the next morning petrified. By the looks of Derek and Aaron, he was able to tell that they were, too. They'd all sat in their room for an abnormally long period of time, all on their own beds. They all dreaded what was to come. It was going to be the moment of truth, and no one wanted to know what it was.

"We should probably head down for breakfast," Aaron said softly. He ran a hand through his dark hair and let out a heavy sigh.

"Nobody died yesterday," Derek told them. "But of course, last time we didn't find out until breakfast."

"Well," Aaron stood up. "We're about to find out."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Breakfast had been an odd occasion. For the reason that, everyone was still there. All the tables were filled with their full amount of players, everyone looked to be in perfect health, and nothing seemed out of sorts.

Except Erin Strauss. Who looked around the dining hall with as much confusion as the group of friends had felt.

"What does this mean?" Penelope whispered her inquiry out. "Does this mean it's over?"

Aaron looked around the dining hall and let out a long gust of breath. "That's the problem," he told them. "I don't know."


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: Mildly violent imagery **

Four days had passed, and it was the weekend once again. Spencer had counted the week in whole as one of the worst weeks of his life. He still was forced to spend time with Liam and his friends, and despite the fact they were all of above average intelligence, he felt as though he was losing brain cells every second he spent time with them. He still ate breakfast with his group every morning, but was forced to spend lunch, dinner, and free-time with Liam and his friends. He'd missed his trips to the gardens, and felt as though he were betraying Mason.

That weekend it was the first football game of the school year, and Derek was just about bursting with excitement. The whole group had spent the last five days in a state of confusion. No one had died, and virtually nothing had changed. Spencer had been incapable of digging up any further information from Liam and his friends, other than the fact that Amelia thought Emily's hair looked as though it were styled by the homeless, and that Scarlett apparently had a bone to pick with Aaron. She wouldn't say what it was, and Liam just rolled his eyes every time he was brought up. He'd tried to ask Aaron, but they boy had clammed up immediately, and Derek had snorted out his orange juice.

"Good luck, man," David told Derek at breakfast. "The other team kicked ass last year."

"Thanks for the reminder," Derek responded to him dryly as he scooped up his eggs. "They got lucky."

"Sure they did," David drawled, a teasing glint in his eyes. "The fact that your team barely scored was strictly coincidental."

"Do you want to end up with yolk on your head?" Derek inquired. He lifted his egg coated fork as a threat. "Because I think you want to end up with yolk on your head."

"It's actually good for the hair," Penelope told them as she put her eggs on top of her toast. "I've done it before."

"You've done everything to your hair," Emily said with amusement. "How is it still on your head?"

"I did fry it once," Penelope said, remorse evident on her features. "It was terrible. I felt as though I had killed my child." She put a hand to her chest, strictly for the dramatics of it all.

"Egg yolk is loaded with nutrients," Spencer informed them absent-mindedly. His energy had slowly been draining from him over the course of the five days. "Has vitamins A, D, and E. They're good for your hair because it protects it against UV rays, pollution, and chlorine. It's also good for preventing hair loss. My Uncle used to cover his hair in it."

"Did he stop because it didn't work?" David inquired as he mashed his eggs up, he obviously wasn't hungry that morning.

"No. He stopped when he died," Spencer answered automatically. The whole table froze, forks even stopped midway towards mouths. Spencer just continued to eat until he realized the mood wouldn't go back to normal. "Not because of the egg." He wouldn't reveal the real reason for his Uncle's death. It was a "family secret". His Father hadn't wanted it out there that his Uncle had died from a drug overdose. Of course he wouldn't, he thought it would make himself look bad.

"Uh...condolences," David offered awkwardly. Spencer nodded at him in acceptance.

"So, homecoming soon." Penelope clapped her hands together and rubbed them with excitement. "Are we going to go as a group? Or are we doing the date thing?"

"What's the date thing?" Spencer inquired.

"Derek and I go together, Emily and Aaron go together, and David goes with a random girl," Penelope explained.

"Unless Derek brings a random girl, then I go with Penelope," David elaborated.

"Wait! It wouldn't work!" Penelope gasped. She eyed Spencer and gestured towards him. "Then no one could go with Spencer!"

"We could always get him a date-." David stopped mid-sentence, and looked Spencer up and down. "Yeah we should do a group thing." He nodded, and went back to his eggs.

Spencer frowned. "Hey!" He cried out, insulted. The fact did hit him that he'd never actually had a date, but plenty of boys his age hadn't yet. It wasn't as if it were too much of an abnormality.

"Man, you'd be quoting statistics in her ear all night," David told him. "I don't know if that's exactly a turn on."

"Oh, stop that!" Penelope whacked him in the arm. "You're going to make him feel bad!"

"Okay, Spencer, what is something else that makes you feel confidant?" Derek inquired with a grin to the boy beside him. Spencer looked up at him through the lenses of his glasses curiously. He hadn't a clue what that exactly had to do with anything, but he decided to play along with Derek's demands, he did seem to know a lot about girls, after all.

"Um...I can do magic tricks," he explained shyly. Everyone at the table looked at each other in confusion.

"Since when can you do magic tricks?" David asked him. "I've known you for almost four weeks, and you've never done a magic trick."

"I've beaten you at every single game we've played," Spencer answered smugly. He flicked out his hands and exclaimed, "Magic."

David glared at him, and everyone else laughed. "Okay, genius, let's see you do magic."

Spencer frowned as he looked down at the table. "I have nothing to do it with," he whined.

"Uhhh, here." Emily dug through her jacket pocket and pulled out a stray quarter. Her pack of cigarettes nearly tumbled out with it, and she patted it back down. "Do the coin thing."

Spencer took the coin from her and looked at it, amused. "A bit overplayed, but a classic," he declared. The whole table snorted, and rolled their eyes. They watched as Spencer took the dirty old quarter, roughened up with time, and made it disappear.

"Oh my god," Penelope squealed. "You did it! He did it!" She pointed at him, as though nobody else had seen it, and shook David.

"Come here," Spencer told her, and gestured for her to lean across the table, once she had Spencer reached toward her ear, and "pulled" out the quarter from behind it. Penelope squealed and clapped her hands together.

"Now that." David gestured to the whole area around him. "That might get you a date."

"Not bad," Emily agreed. She then stuck out her hand. "But can I have my quarter back?"

Spencer grinned at her proudly. "You already have it back. It's in your hair." Emily stared at him, perplexed, and then put a hand through her soft hair, a quarter then tumbled out from the dark locks and smacked onto the table; the noise so loud that a few tables turned to look at them in annoyance. She picked it up slowly and looked at it in amazement. The whole table looked at Spencer in bafflement.

"How the hell did you do that?" Emily asked him, stunned. She held the quarter in the palm of her hand and continued to stare at it, as though it could tell her how Spencer had managed to make it disappear and reappear in strange places twice.

"A magician never reveals his secrets," Spencer told her, he looked very satisfied with himself. Arms crossed over his chest, a grin apparent on his face, and he almost had a sense of bravado to him. It was as though he morphed forms right in front of them.

"You see? That could charm a chick," Derek informed the table as he looked at Spencer with amusement. "I even think I'm charmed a little bit."

"I'm fine with just going as a group," Spencer said shyly, all former confidence seemed to vanish instantly.

"Awwww," David crooned, and reached across the table to ruffle Spencer's hair. "Somebody has never asked out a girl before."

"It's fine, Spencer. Don't worry about these jerks. Group works fine," Emily said with a glare tossed at David.

"That is, unless Aaron asks Haley," Derek said and looked over at the silent Aaron, who was busy making eyes over at her table; when he'd heard Derek's remark, he'd narrowed his eyes slightly at the other boy as he fought to get back his bearings. "But he might actually have to grow a pair first."

Aaron cleared his throat. "We have more important things to worry about than dates," he reminded him.

"Spoken like a true chicken," Derek laughed, his eyes held amusement in them as he watched Aaron glare at him. He was one of the few people who could look at an angry Aaron Hotchner in the eye and not even flinch.

"Wait." Spencer's whole body froze with alarm, and a cold feeling overtook him. "PLEASE tell me I can go with you guys to homecoming," he pleaded. His eyes drifted over to Liam's table, where they were all "listening" to Owen babble on while Ella looked at him with love, and occasionally kissed his cheek. "Don't make me go with them."

"They never go as a group, anyway, kid," Derek assured him and rubbed his back. "They all get dates. We'll keep an eye on them from afar."

"If there's even any use," David added in. "Nothing else has happened."

"Yeah," Penelope agreed, but a shiver went through her entire form. "But I have an awful feeling like something is about to," she told them worriedly.

"That's just nerves, babygirl," Derek assured her. He reached across the table and held her hand, his eyes understanding. "If anything happens, we'll deal with it. But it'll all be okay."

"Oh," she crooned, and brought his hand to her lips to kiss it. "I don't actually believe it, but when you say that it sounds so good I feel like it must be true," she said lovingly. Derek grinned at her and brought her hand over to his own mouth to kiss it.

"Ugh," David groaned. "Get a room. Seriously."

"Mmm," Penelope hummed, and wagged her eyebrows at Derek suggestively. "He might have the right idea." She winked at him and bit her lip as she ran her thumb against his palm.

"Whelp, this was an exciting episode of "how to lose your appetite"," Emily said as she pushed her half full plate towards the middle of the table.

"Are you worried for the game?" Aaron asked Derek. "You're down a player."

"We got another." Derek shrugged. "He came in late, and he kind of sucks, but we have a player."

"You know, there are one million boys playing high school football," Spencer informed the rest of the table. His eggs had begun to grow cold, and it ruined the experience for him. "Also youth sports statistics show that 71% of the youth wouldn't care if no score was kept."

"They must be interviewing ten year olds," Derek replied dryly.

"Not even," David added in. "I think even ten year olds would care."

"37% said that they wouldn't want their parents to watch," Spencer continued as if the other two boys hadn't spoken. "35% said that they'd stop playing the next year."

"David has said that every year," Derek told him and gestured towards the boy in question, who glowered at him.

"Well, hey, next year, it'll be true." David grinned proudly.

"Unless you get a soccer scholarship, dumbass," Derek said.

"Even then." David waved his fork full of eggs at him. "I would no longer be playing high school soccer," he pointed out. He then shoved the fork full of mashed up eggs into his mouth, he frowned, they must have grown cold.

"284,000 boys are playing high school soccer," Spencer informed David. David just stared at him and shook his head.

"Spencer, stick to magic tricks," he advised the boy, who frowned in response while the rest of the table laughed.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"I can't believe we need to go back to see the stupid football game," Amelia complained as they sat in a café. She had a large, pink, iced tea lemonade perched in front of her. The container had her name written on it, with a little heart dotted above the i, Spencer assumed that was why she had winked at the guy who had given it to her. He'd made eyes at her as she walked away, and still occasionally glanced at her with a look of desire.

"It's not until 7:00, and we don't have to go," Liam told her. "I personally am considering just staying in my room for it."

"Well, we're going to go," Ella said as she wrapped her arm around Owen. "I hear it's going to be...exciting."

Scarlett scoffed at her. "Please." She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair over her shoulder, Spencer wondered why she hadn't just tied it up since it seemed to bother her so much. "Since when has a football game ever been exciting?"

"I hear this one is going to be." Ella shrugged.

"Do we have to go?" Owen asked Ella, his voice a whine. "I don't see the appeal of football. Hockey is actually complicated."

"The NHL brings in $2.9 billion for their yearly revenue," Spencer informed them. He hadn't gotten anything from the café except tea and a scone, and the scone was so stale he couldn't even bite into it. It just sat on the napkin in front of him like a pathetic lump with blueberries.

"I thought you hated sports," Amelia responded, annoyed.

"I never said I hated them, I said I was bad at them, and I don't find them enjoyable," Spencer corrected her. He took a sip of his own tea, he enjoyed the slightly bitter taste of the hot drink, but longed for a coffee. It was an herbal blend, with no caffeine, but he reasoned that it was at least good for him. The boy who made eyes at Amelia explained it to be their "calming blend", and Spencer could have used some calm. "I still know about them, though."

"The only reason I even see for sports being useful is to stay fit, and I do that perfectly fine without tossing a ball around and making myself look like an idiot," Amelia stated, and somehow managed to aggressively take a sip of her drink.

"I like golf," Sawyer said as he munched on the cake pop he'd gotten. "Golf is a sport."

"I liked it when they had the swim team," Owen added in. "I loved being part of the swim team."

"Swim is fine," Amelia said with a flirtatious smile, Spencer saw Ella tighten her arm around Owen, she had apparently become more aware of Amelia's advances, and hadn't seemed to like it one bit. "I love swimming. It's good exercise."

"My Father has always played golf," Sawyer continued on, and Amelia rolled her eyes. He was not the one she was interested in. "It's relaxing."

"We like bowling," Ella said as she bumped into Owen, who smiled back at her. "We go bowling all the time."

"We've gone with you," Scarlett reminded her. "You freaked out that you were going to get your fingers caught in the ball."

Ella flushed bright red and shrugged her shoulders. "I've gotten better," she insisted.

"I'm fine with sports," Liam chimed in, he took a sip of his own beverage, and then glanced at it with distaste as he smacked his lips together. "It serves its purpose. I just don't like when those who play them get special privileges."

"I ice skate," Scarlett informed them, it sounded more as though she were bragging as she looked to Liam for support. "We've gone on dates to the ice rink, haven't we baby?"

"Mhm," Liam hummed in agreement and smiled at Scarlett, who reached out for his hand. Her own had her nails painted a deep red, they were manicured to perfection. "She tried to teach me how to ice skate."

"Ohh," Ella cooed, Scarlett tore her eyes away from her boyfriend to look at her with annoyance. "That's adorable."

"My family was able to rent out the rink," Scarlett bragged, her eyes met Ella's, as though she aimed each of her words at her. "So we wouldn't have any loud noises to disturb us."

"Unlike with bowling," Amelia added in, Scarlett's lips turned up into a cruel smile at her friend's voice, her eyes still locked with Ella's. "There's so much noises at bowling."

"I've never been bowling," Spencer cut in, unsure if he was supposed to speak at all.

"You should come with us sometime," Owen told him. "It's fun."

"Ugh, don't say that," Scarlett ordered him. "Spencer hates germs, he'd hate going to a bowling alley."

"He can bring hand wipes," Owen suggested, good naturedly. He still hadn't seemed very fond of Spencer, but Spencer appreciated the fact that he at least made an attempt to make him feel included.

"Who wants to spend the whole time sanitizing everything?" Scarlett inquired, as though Owen had suggested something as ridiculous as them showing up in monkey costumes to rob the place.

"I think it's a great idea," Ella said as she brought a hand up Owen's chest, her voice filled with support. "We all could use something fun to do together."

"You guys would have fun," Scarlett corrected her. "But Spencer wouldn't."

"How would you know?" Ella challenged her. "You haven't asked him." It was probably the most daring thing Spencer had ever heard her say. She must have been slowly getting more annoyed by the shots she kept having fired at her by mainly the two other girls. Scarlett narrowed her eyes at her, and Ella just looked away and back at Owen, who seemed oblivious.

"So, Spencer." Liam swiftly changed the topic, and Spencer looked at him in inquiry. "Derek Morgan is playing today."

"Ugh, who cares?" Amelia asked. Spencer had to fight back a smile, she really hated Derek, and since he knew why, it had grown more hilarious.

"I heard his team got a horrible new player," Sawyer chimed in. "Since the other one went back home."

Spencer had to fight not to flinch, since he knew the truth.

"I heard his parents were going through some financial problems," Owen said.

"He's dead," Ella blurted out. Everyone looked at her, some in annoyance and some in shock. Spencer was one of the shocked ones. "He died of a drug overdose," she explained.

"Oh for the love of...Ella, that's just a rumor," Scarlett explained to her. Spencer tried not to roll his own eyes. "Everyone knows that."

"It's not a rumor," Ella insisted. "It's true. He's dead."

"You'll believe anything," Amelia added with a roll of her own eyes. She twirled her dark brown hair with her finger and continued to shake her head, as though Ella were the dumbest being on the planet. Spencer felt his heart ache slightly, especially since Ella was correct. If the other girls weren't so cruel, their surety against her would have bordered on comical. They felt they were so wise and above everyone, but truly they had a horrendous lack of knowledge to what truly happened right before them.

"It's kind of true, baby," Owen said, Ella stared at him in shock. "You're adorably gullible."

"I am not," Ella argued, obviously not smitten by the terms of endearment. "I know for a fact he's dead."

"Oh really?" Scarlett asked, her tone taunting. "How do you know it for a fact?"

"I just do," Ella said simply, her glare powerful. Scarlett was unperturbed by it, and actually laughed a little bit at it.

Spencer observed Liam, who watched the whole scene expressionless. His face seemed clouded over, as though he were in a whole other world. But that's when Spencer noticed something important, the hot drink was still in his grasp, and it shook rapidly.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"He's intimidated every time the two victims are brought up," Emily said after Spencer had told them everything. They had come back early, because Scarlett said she wanted to study if she was going to be forced to go to a football game. "That's important."

"I'm telling you guys, it's him," Derek agreed. He was covered in sweat, when Spencer had entered the dorm room he was doing an obscenely large number of crunches while the others spoke amongst themselves...and Penelope watched him.

"Please, for the love of God, take a shower," David pleaded with him and scooted further away from him on the bed.

"I'm going to be playing football soon," Derek reminded him. "Why would I take a shower first?"

"I think you should take as many showers as you need," Penelope told him, and ran a hand up the length of his bicep, he looked at her in amusement. "Especially if you have some help...and you know, I'm available."

"Babygirl, we don't need a shower to get hot and steamy," Derek flirted with a wink.

"But I might need a bucket to puke in," Emily quipped.

"Don't be jealous of our love, my pet," Penelope said, and playfully kicked Emily on the head. She sat in front of Derek's bed, and grabbed the back of her head and glared at the blonde.

"What do we even do if he is the killer?" Spencer asked softly. The whole room looked at him in surprise. "The deaths were ruled as natural and accidental."

"We need concrete evidence," Aaron stated. "That's what I've been telling everyone. We need to build a strong case."

"How are we going to get that?" David asked. "We'd have to physically catch him killing someone."

"Or find evidence of it on him," Aaron suggested. "Or have him admit to it."

"How would we find evidence?" Derek asked. "You'd have to break into his-." He stopped himself and looked around the room with wide eyes.

"I've already gone through everything on his computer," Penelope reminded them. "There's nothing-OH! YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SNOOPING HIS ROOM!" She bounced up and down on the bed. "I'm the grand master of snooping! I can help!"

"Babygirl, you snoop through computers," Derek reminded her. "Physical snooping is a little different."

"I physical snoop, too!" Penelope informed him, indignant. "If you want me to find anything, through a computer or in person, I'm your girl."

"I think the job would take someone a bit more...subtle," David said carefully. "You're kind of like a bright pink warning sign."

"I can totally do ninja spy work!" Penelope argued, her pink lips tugged downwards into a frown. "I own dark clothing! I'm elusive! Cunning! I'm an elusively cunning spy!"

"...I think Spencer should best do it," Aaron admitted. Penelope looked at him, a wounded expression on her face. Aaron smiled carefully at her and went on to explain, "He has the best access into Liam's room."

"I thought I was the agent," Emily reminded them. "So far I haven't done anything remotely like an agent."

"Spencer has the best access," Aaron repeated firmly. The whole room looked mildly disappointed, and Spencer had looked terrified.

"Um...despite the access I have, I still can't just go through his things while he's in the room," Spencer pointed out.

"I have an idea!" Penelope cried out. She raised her hand as though she were in class, and begging for the teacher to notice her. She looked at Aaron pleadingly, and he rolled his eyes and gestured for her to continue. "Tomorrow while he and his friends are away we could break into his room!"

"We'd still need a key," David reminded her.

Emily grinned at Derek slyly, he looked confused at first, but then his own face broke out into a grin. He winked at her, and she let out a small laugh. "Kids," she begun, as if she were an older gentleman explaining to kids the way the game of life was played. "You don't need a key to get into somewhere."

"She's right," Derek said and his smile just seemed to grow impossibly so.

"You guys scare me," Spencer told them. "Do you know how many laws you've probably all broken since we've been here?"

"Do you know how many we've broken before you transferred?" David asked dryly.

"You know, before this I didn't even walk on private property. You know why? Because it's private property," Spencer informed them, the rest of the room looked at him with amusement. "I never even littered. If I had a candy wrapper, I'd take it to the trash can," he continued mournfully.

"Never illegally downloaded music?" Penelope inquired.

"I didn't even own my own laptop!" Spencer replied.

Penelope looked at him with a mix of shock and horror. "How did you live?! How did you write essays?! You can't do school without a laptop! It's physically impossible!"

"I meant I didn't have my own," Spencer explained. "My...my Mom," he begun to explain, and hated how everyone's face immediately turned sympathetic to him, and some even leaned in to listen intently. "She hated electronics. But my Dad insisted that we at least have a family desktop. Most of the time we'd just glare at it as it collected dust. I usually write my essays on my school computer during study hall." A fond smile found its way to his face. "My Mom used to make me handwrite them. Said it was how she used to do it."

"That's a cruel and unusual punishment," Penelope responded. Spencer could tell by the look on her face that she actually believed it.

"I liked it," Spencer replied. "It's how people used to do it, and it helped me practice my handwriting."

"Dude." David looked him up and down in amusement and disbelief. "You have awful handwriting."

Spencer frowned and rubbed at his sleeved arm awkwardly. "It's because I stopped," he explained insecurely.

"Huh," Emily mused, she had a teasing smile on her face. "Maybe you should go back to that."

"Maybe I should just get new friends," Spencer fired back, in good nature. Despite the fact that the group would often taunt him, he knew the difference between that and the abuse he used to take to school. The almost affectionate taunts were almost welcomed compared to the jeering and laughing he used to get. Not to mention the face full of toilet water.

"Well, hey." David opened up his arms, almost as if to welcome whatever Spencer was to throw at him. "You're a magician! Just make us disappear!"

Spencer narrowed his eyes jokingly. "Don't tempt me," he warned.

"Just make me reappear somewhere peppy and exotic," Penelope requested. She then smirked and directed her attention to Derek. "Preferably onto something strong and stable," she purred.

"...I don't do that kind of magic," Spencer explained awkwardly. Emily, Derek, Penelope, and David all busted out laughing as Spencer sat there and looked desperately at Aaron. Aaron just rolled his eyes at the others, as his mouth desperately fought for the right to smile.

"Spencer," Emily wheezed and looked at him with fondness. "Don't ever change."

"Uh...I've still got a few years of development ahead of me," Spencer explained to her.

"Yeah, and you might even grow an inch," David quipped. Spencer scowled at him.

"Can we please stay focused?" Aaron quickly got the words out before Spencer could whine about how he was going to grow soon. He should have never shown his weakness around the two other boys, they took advantage of the opportunity to tease the younger man way too much.

"Right, of course." Emily nodded, but still looked amused. "While Spencer is out with them, we could break into Liam's room and go through his stuff."

"...I don't agree to this," Spencer informed them, he looked anxiously around the room. "That's not a good plan!"

"It's a great plan!" Penelope disagreed.

"It's a very bad plan! What if we come back early?" He inquired.

"Then you run interference until we can get out of the room," Aaron suggested.

"How on earth would I do that?!"

"Show them a magic trick!" David joked. Spencer had been tempted to throw his pillow at him, considering it seemed to be a socially acceptable reaction in the group.

"I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be impressed," he replied instead.

"Man, you're a genius," Derek pointed out. "Do something genius!" He'd made a twirling hand motion around his head, which had made Spencer stare at him as though he were a crazy person. Derek just rolled his eyes and let his hands fall back down on his lap.

"We'll keep in touch through cell phones," Penelope suggested. She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket, it was one of the latest ones with all the new apps and rest in a bright pink bedazzled case that reflected the light into their eyes.

"...If you can keep that in your pocket why do you keep a container of pills in your bra?" David asked suddenly.

"Because my pockets are already full," Penelope replied, as though it were obvious. She pulled out a pack of bubblegum from one, a keychain from the other, an action figure from the other one...

"We get it," David said with a hand held up to halt her. She then proceeded to put all but her cell phone back into her pockets.

"Wait...you do have a cell phone, right?" Emily asked Spencer. Everyone looked at him as though if he said no the apocalypse would begin, and the world would fall apart and plunge into the sun, all because Spencer hadn't purchased a piece of technology.

"Mhm!" But luckily, that hadn't needed to happen. Spencer stuck his hand into his pocket, pushed aside the little bag of pretzels he'd shoved in, and reached next to it to pull out...something that at least slightly resembled a cell phone.

"...that's not a cell phone," Penelope said. "That, my dear, is a fossil." Everyone in the room snorted and tried to hold back their own laughter while Spencer stared at his phone in confusion.

Spencer's cell phone was...well...old. It was thick and felt like a brick in the palm of his hand. If he were to drop the phone it was more likely to break whatever it fell on than it was to smash itself. It flipped open and almost never had a signal. The screen was giant, yet for some reason the sides of it were just a black rimming so the actual screen you saw was a tiny little square that Spencer had to squint to read.

But despite all of that, he still inquired, "What's wrong with it?"

"Ugh. Everything," Penelope answered. Spencer's frown deepened as he continued to look at his long used cell phone with confusion. "It's an insult to everything about recent technology."

"But it works..." Spencer responded sullenly.

"Sure it does, and robbing banks is a great way to get money. Still doesn't mean you should do it." Penelope begun to dig through her pockets again while Spencer looked at her, insulted.

"I don't think this is exactly equal to that..."

"Here!" Penelope cheered as she pulled another cell phone out of her pocket. This one had just had a purple protector case around it, so that it wouldn't get scratched. "You can have my backup phone."

"...You have a backup phone?" David asked in mild surprise. His expression barely changed, he was probably used to all of it.

"Of course I have a backup phone," Penelope replied with exasperation. As though David were a complete idiot for assuming any different. "If someone kidnaps me and they search me for my cell phone, they find the first one and take it from me. But little do they know that I have a second cell phone! I am then able to call for help, and be on the 9 o'clock news."

"Babygirl, I don't know if that's something to strive for," Derek said, he looked highly amused and fond of the smaller blonde, who still held out her phone to Spencer.

"But if I take your phone then you won't have your backup one," Spencer reminded her. "You'd also have to pay for me."

"I have unlimited everything," Penelope said with a shrug. "Also, I can survive on just one phone...I suppose. I'll live. I can always get another, my parents would never notice."

"Um...okay," Spencer said, he still wore a confused expression on his face as he stood and walked over to grab the cell phone.

"I have a multi-colored assortment of phone cases, if you'd like to switch it out," Penelope informed him cheerfully as he poked the phone with his finger.

"No, this is great! Purple is my favorite color!" He told her. He looked at the phone with distaste, he didn't know on earth to use it. There was just one giant button at the bottom. How was he supposed to operate something that didn't even have buttons?!

"Oh! Is it really?! Because I have this really cute purple scarf that-." Penelope was cut off by Aaron.

"Can we please stay focused?" He asked. Penelope looked sheepish and Spencer walked over on his bed and sat back down as he continued to fiddle with the piece of technology. "So, the plan is tomorrow while Spencer is out with Liam and his friends we get into his room? How is he not going to notice everything is out of place?!"

"Oh! I know! I have an Aunt that goes through all of my Uncle's stuff to make sure he's not cheating on her," Penelope begun to explain. "She'd take pictures of his stuff before she'd snoop, so she'd know how to put all of it back exactly where it was and he'd never know about it!"

"...Your Aunt sounds like a lovely woman," David told her sarcastically.

"This is the stupidest plan of all time," Derek said.

"I'll go in alone," Emily told them. They all looked at her in surprise. "I can get in, and I can get out. I've raided the teacher's lounge, and Mrs. Benson's room before and no one even realized I was there."

"...Why did you raid the teacher's lounge?" David asked.

"Mrs. Benson smokes," Emily answered. "Also, they keep really good food in the teacher's lounge and I didn't feel like going out for snacks."

"...Is that where you got those really delicious granola bars and greek yogurt?" Penelope inquired.

"That and the imported chocolates," Emily said and smiled. Penelope shook her head, she looked scandalized.

"You stole food!"

"They had plenty left!"

"Let's just stay on topic." Aaron held two fingers to the bridge of his nose. Spencer couldn't help but think he was going to develop an ulcer much too young if he kept on being so serious. "Emily, you can go in alone, and Spencer will text you when they start to come back."

"Alright." Emily nodded. "Score."

Spencer groaned and fell back on his bed, his hand with the phone flopped uselessly beside him. "This is going to end so badly."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The football game had a...rough start. David's sarcastic comments about how terribly they were doing brightened the mood slightly, but the fact that Derek looked as though he'd wanted to murder his teammates instantly darkened it once again.

"I thought he said he was going to nail this," Emily said. They were all seated on the bleachers, Penelope had brought popcorn with them. Spencer had slightly disliked her for it since he'd had a kernel stuck in his mouth since the start of the game. No matter how much he nudged it with his tongue it remained.

"He always says that," David reminded her.

"This team always beats us," Aaron informed Spencer. "We've won once, and it was by a hair."

Spencer looked at Aaron sadly, and the other boy frowned in concern. "What's wrong?" Aaron asked him.

"I don't know what's happening," Spencer explained mournfully. Emily choked on her popcorn, David shook his head in amusement, and Penelope looked at him with pity.

"We're losing," David told him. "Badly."

"Well, yeah." Spencer nodded. "I got that part of it."

"You were quoting football statistics the other day," Penelope reminded him. "How do you not know how it's played?"

"I've read about the statistics...but I've never actually seen a football game," he explained. The crowd made a noise of displeasure, and he flinched.

"You've never been to a football game?" Aaron asked.

Spencer shook his head in the negative. "No. Believe it or not, but a kid like me going to a football game could possibly be bad for my health." He'd expected an amused laugh, but everyone just looked at him sadly.

"How could anyone hurt you?" Penelope inquired. "You're adorable. It would be like kicking a puppy."

"Ah, you didn't have to worry about that at this school, man," David assured him as he continued to watch the game. Spencer assumed based on crowd reaction that something preferable was happening. "Anyone messes with you and we'll kick their ass while Penelope takes pictures."

All of a sudden there was cheering on their side, David and all the others stood and begun to clap, so Spencer did as well. He then sat once the adequate time of celebration had passed. It was an odd thing to do, really. Spencer had never enjoyed sports. His Father had tried to force him to play, but he was consistently terrible and the man simply gave up on him. He mainly ignored Spencer after that. Spencer wondered if he'd been better, more normal, if his Father would have liked him more.

His Mother had never liked the idea of him in sports. She felt they were much too dangerous for him, and she could see how much he'd hated it. She'd told him once she would have let him play if he'd shown any joy in partaking of them, but he never did. Spencer used to walk in, after his Father had forced some athletic event unto him, miserable. He'd have his hair in his eyes, sweat through his shirt, bottom lip twitching, eyes would look sadly up at his Father who would then make an excuse about being far too busy to do anything else. William Reid had always been too busy for anything his son enjoyed. Even though Diana Reid was ill, she still always made time for him. It was saddening, actually. That Spencer's Mother, as her health fell apart, still made time for him. But his Father couldn't spare him a second. Spencer had even memorized all of his law books in a futile attempt to impress him.

"What the hell?" David's soft whisper broke him out of his thoughts. The whole crowd seemed confused, as well. One of the guys from their team had stumbled off the bench, and had walked to the middle of the field. He hadn't been prompted to do so, and the referee blew his whistle. The boy continued to stumble around and look around himself in confusion.

"Is he okay?" Penelope asked in horror. The boy reached out and grabbed at Derek's arm. Derek looked at him in confusion, as the boy's hand went to his throat. He looked as though he were to try to form words, but he couldn't properly do so. He just continued to gesture to his throat. A split second later, with no warning, his body collapsed onto the ground, and seizured terribly. The crowd let out a gasp of horror. Spencer just watched in terror as all the adults gathered around the boy and screams to call 911 were heard.

"Oh no," Penelope whimpered. "Not again. No. No." She shook her head rapidly as tears fell down her cheeks like rain. Mascara had left deep black tracks with them, but she paid no heed.

"It doesn't make sense," David said desperately. Spencer just watched in horror, as did the rest. "It's only been...it hasn't been...it doesn't make sense," the boy's voice had been thick with emotion, and Spencer hadn't a clue what to do.

He'd felt his world grow dizzy as the body stopped twitching and just rest there, much like Kathryne's had. In the field. Where not only their school, but the other school, would be forever haunted with the memory. He knew it right then and there that the boy was dead. He knew no matter what anyone else said that it wasn't an accident. It wasn't natural.

"NO!" Penelope gasped out and sobbed. Emily had thrown an arm around her, her own mouth popped open and eyes wide with horror. Penelope put her head on Emily's chest and cried.

"This can't be happening..." Spencer had heard somebody speak. He wasn't quite sure who it was. The voice sounded foreign to him, as though he'd never heard it before. "It hasn't been four weeks. This doesn't match up. The pattern! It's no longer a pattern!" The voice had grown higher pitched with panic, and he could hear it break up with emotion. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his back and a hushed voice attempting to settle him back down that he realized it was him.

"Spencer, come on, let's get up and out of here." That was Aaron, he could hear the horror in the boy's voice, the trauma. But he knew Aaron was attempting to be strong, attempting to help and guide him. But Spencer hadn't wanted to move.

It was then, almost at once, that they all cast their eyes to the field at the same time as Derek cast his eyes to the bleacher. Their horror and despair all mingled together, the sense of mourning overtook their bodies. But terror, terror was another emotion that rest in their souls.

Because they knew that someone in the crowd was the killer.


	10. Chapter 10

**Warning: Mildly violent imagery**

The next day hadn't gone as planned. The plan for the "investigation" in Liam's room had been scrapped, and an air of despair had hung above all their heads. The part that had amazed Spencer the most was that no one seemed to pay attention to the similarities between Kathryne's death and the newest football player's. He'd found out the boy's name was Keith Cameron. The whole team mourned, as did the entire school, but no one seemed to make any connection about the similarities between the two deaths. It was like an air of ignorance had wafted through the school.

Spencer hadn't been shocked about the ruling of the death to be natural; but he was shocked at the excuse Erin Strauss had used. She had said he'd had an asthma attack. The worst part was, everyone had bought it. Keith really did have asthma, and Spencer knew himself that lack of oxygen could cause seizures. It was all and all a probable cause of death...that was, if there hadn't been a similar death mere weeks before it. But naturally, no one seemed to put the two together, no one had wanted to, so they had accepted it. They'd even talked about a potential bake sale to raise money for asthma research in honor of it.

The group had barely spoken, which was one of the things that concerned Spencer the most. The time before the group had been scared, but they hadn't ceased communication. But after the latest death, the whole next day seemed just hold a black cloud above all their heads. It was odd. Spencer had expected someone to speak up, to say something. But no one had said a word over breakfast, it had been dead silence. That was, until Keith's girlfriend had burst into tears and ran out of the dining hall with her friends chasing after her, they called her name with urgency, the smacks of feet echoed through the silent dining hall like gun shots had been fired.

That night Spencer had considered going through the woods and finding Derek's fort, but he felt frozen to his own bed as the horrible memory replayed in his mind. He'd barely slept, and his dreams were plagued by nightmares. Bodies that twitched and looked upon him with dead eyes. Kathryne's lips had opened and said his name, a breath of a word through her blue lips in one of them, her dead eyes had looked right into his own; so void of substance, of life, of a soul. For the soul was a truly confusing thing, and just as easily as it was put in a body, did it leave it. They were left no longer people, but shells. Casings. Is that truly what they all were? Their outsides were just shells to whatever it was on the inside. Everyone would gather around to look at their loved ones in a casket; look at the shell that had held the only thing really important, and they would pretend it mattered. But no matter what, no one could breathe the breath of life back into that body.

The shell was all they'd had left, and soon, it would rot away.

But deep down, Spencer hadn't believed all that was true. They said that when a person died, they would live forever through those who loved them. Perhaps it was really once a person passes they live to become a part of you. Your soul opens up, and gratefully accepts all that the other had shown you. Maybe no one truly ever died.

It wasn't a very scientific thought, but it was a nice one.

~.~.~.~.~.

The shrill sound of the alarm had awoken Spencer from his restless sleep. He'd growled low in his throat, he hadn't slept at all, and the insane shriek was bringing on a severe headache. Spencer's vision swirled once he opened his heavy eyelids, and spots overtook it, but he forced them all away, and forcefully tossed his blankets off of him and onto the hardwood floor. The blanket landed haphazardly, and part of it still got stuck on his sock. He had to kick the air a dozen times until it finally came off, and he hopped out of bed. His socked feet still made a loud smack on the ground, the other two roommates looked at him, bleary eyed and concerned.

Spencer ignored the two other boys, and stomped over to his dresser drawers and tugged one of the drawers open. He hadn't a clue why he was so loud and upset. He was tired, scared, and wanted nothing more than to go home. But he knew he couldn't. Anger usually wasn't a coverup for his fears and emotions, but it seemed like a worthy substitute, at least for the moment; in the early morning where he was so tired that all he wanted was a pot of delicious dark fluid to energize his body, and awaken him from his sleepy, slow, hell.

"Kid, don't be so loud," Derek demanded of him. Spencer turned away from his clothes and glared. Derek had sat up in bed, and rubbed the back of his neck where an obvious ache was. He never quite slept normally, and he always had aches. "I barely slept."

"Heh, that's funny," Spencer begun as he pulled out a clean uniform. It was wrinkled, but it always seemed to be. "Because your snoring kept me up most of the night."

Derek raised an eyebrow at him, and looked behind himself to Aaron, who looked equally confused. "I don't snore," Derek argued.

"Yes you do," Aaron disagreed. "But it wasn't any louder than usual."

"Thanks," Derek said sarcastically. He turned his attention back to Spencer, who had rolled his eyes at them, and had gone to storm out of the room to hit the showers. "What crawled up your ass and died?" He asked.

Spencer halted, his angry shield wavered momentarily. He turned to stare at Derek. "What?"

"I asked you what crawled up your ass and died," Derek repeated.

"It's an expression," Aaron explained, obviously he hadn't thought Spencer had gotten what Derek had meant.

"I know what it is, and it's disturbing," Spencer responded in disgust, his nose crinkled up, and his eyes still staring down Derek, who looked completely exasperated.

"Seriously, man," Derek begun and continued to look at Spencer as though he were another being who crashed down to earth. "I don't get you sometimes."

Spencer just shrugged, and marched out of the room. He had a shower to take.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer sighed as he put his uniform on in his shower stall. The smoke fogged around him, and the amount of hot water he'd used left red patches that covered large portions of his skin. He'd needed the heat as a distraction from all the facts, statistics, and probabilities that ran through his head. It was odd, because his facts usually comforted him. Statistics. Statistics had always been a distraction for him. Something he was a master of, something he enjoyed learning about. Everyone was part of a statistic, and no matter what, he could always prove that. Everyone was part of something, and no one was ever alone.

But his statistics had not been able to comfort him at that moment. They just seemed to taunt him, to tumble through his head so fast that he felt the second he opened his mouth they'd just all fall out. None of his peers knew what it was like. To have so much going on in your head that you just couldn't physically hold it all in, and then when you let it all out everyone thinks you're a freak.

He had an eidetic memory. The images he'd seen since he arrived at school would forever haunt his dreams. No matter how hard he could try to escape them, they would forever and always be carried with him.

His Father hadn't even called to check in on him. That was one of the things that had hurt the worst, that Spencer hadn't gotten a single call from home in the four weeks he'd been at school. He was pretty sure his Father hadn't missed him at all. William Reid had probably gone home, and thought this would be the end of his problems. That he'd send Spencer off to college after boarding school, and possibly only have to deal with him on holidays.

That thought alone made Spencer angrily punch the side of the stupid cubed in wall. The smooth surface smacked against the bone of his fist, and he let out a squeak of pain. He really hadn't thought that move through.

"Spencer?!" In the stall next to him, he heard Derek's voice. Spencer shut his eyes and closed his fist as he tried to breathe through the pain. He'd dropped his uniform jacket onto the wet, tiled floor and whimpered at the fact he'd have to either attempt to dry it or grab another. Today wasn't going to be his day. It was odd how pitiful mornings always seemed to shape them.

He bent down to pick up his jacket, and the curtain that covered him was thrown open to reveal a soaking wet Derek Morgan with just a towel around the lower half of his body. Spencer looked at the sculpted body for a half a second of surprise, and then looked away to give the other man his own privacy.

"Kid, what the hell was that?" Derek asked. Spencer insecurely wrapped his arms around his unbuttoned shirt that only concealed his arms. Derek just raised an amused eyebrow as Spencer shied away from him. He loosely tied a knot in his towel, so he wouldn't have to hold it up.

"...I...um...have seemed to accidentally hit my fist against the wall," Spencer explained and gave the stall wall a little tap, as though Derek wouldn't catch on to what he spoke of.

"You...accidentally hit the wall?" Derek inquired, obviously he wasn't buying it.

"Once you get some clothes on I'd...um...love to discuss this further," Spencer squeaked, one hand still covered his chest.

"Seriously, kid." Derek looked at him with concern, and took a step near Spencer, which made the boy take a step back. Derek just rushed even closer to him and took hold over Spencer's wrist, his hand especially red on the knuckles, and when he focused on it, he found that it throbbed. "There a reason you're punching walls?"

"Frustrated," Spencer answered, honest and meek. His former bravado that he'd felt earlier had faded the moment he was trapped in a shower stall with a much bigger man, he just felt tiny and alone. Home-sick and scared.

"We all feel that way, kid," Derek responded with understanding, and offered Spencer a small, comforting smile. He raised his other hand to give him a pat on the shoulder, and released his fist. "Should be fine," he informed him. "If it's still hurting once you're dressed we'll ice it." Spencer nodded his understanding, and Derek took a step back, his feet splashed puddles on the wet tile. "I'm going to get out of here before anyone else walks in and gets the wrong idea," he said with a grin. Spencer couldn't help but smile back as Derek left, shut the curtain, and gave him privacy to finish button his shirt...and to zip up his pants. He hadn't even noticed that they were unzipped and unbuttoned.

Great. Derek had seen his bare chest and his Star Trek boxer shorts.

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had dreaded breakfast. The one the day before had been dead silence, and he was afraid it would be a repeat of that. He used to enjoy silence, it was one of the reasons he'd lock himself away in his bedroom. Spencer liked some peace and quiet, just himself and his books. But since he'd been away at school he'd grown accustomed to the noise. The thoughtless debates that surrounded him, Derek and Penelope's ridiculous and inappropriate amounts of flirtation, it had filled a void. He'd still like more quiet, more time to himself, but being around people...people that weren't insulting him...it took away his loneliness.

The table's smooth surface was unusually covered in crumbs, as though they hadn't been cleaned up since the night prior. There was even a big hunk of a leftover roll left in the middle of it.

"Well," David begun as they sat down, Spencer apprehensive. "As you can see, we're fighting hard to pass our next health inspection," he finished sarcastically.

Spencer couldn't help the grin that snuck onto his features, as he attempted to not actually touch his hand to the table. After a day of silence, it was nice to hear David's dry humor. The others didn't seem to think as much, as they pretty much seemed indifferent to the statement.

"At least Spencer appreciates the lovely entertainment I bring with me," David continued on, and nodded towards Spencer with appreciation.

Spencer grinned back at him, and then turned his attention back to the food that coated their table. His hands twitched as the desperate need to clean it all up and make it go away took over him. It was disgusting. The amount of germs that had settled on the food as it sat there overnight...how it all just gathered there, and festered. There was a hunk of beef right next to his tray, and he felt his right eye twitch.

"Somebody get Spencer a wet-nap and some hand sanitizer before he suffers a breakdown," David, once again, seemed to have been the only one capable of speaking.

"Josie quit," Aaron finally spoke. Spencer honestly would have looked at him, given him his attention, but he felt as though he and the piece of beef were having a staring competition...he also felt as though he were losing. It was like the thing had grown an eye. "She would have been the one to clean this up."

"So, what?" Emily asked, she swiped at her spot with a napkin. "They couldn't get someone else to do it?"

"Hey, David." Derek was grinning like a fool, which was rarely a good sign. "Ten bucks if you eat the meat."

"Don't!" Penelope cried out in disgust.

"Make it fifty."

"You're dreaming!"

"Both of you stop," Aaron ordered them both, though half hearted. He looked as though he wanted to see if David would do it as much as the rest of them. But his forced maturity shoved his desire down.

"Would you rather sit here and have an amazing, and intriguing, discussion on the wonders of mathematics?" David inquired dryly, and then looked at Spencer. "Spencer here could head it."

Spencer narrowed his eyes at im in consideration. "That's both a compliment and an insult."

David grinned. "Is that so?"

"You're saying I'm intelligent enough to lead a discussion on mathematics, but boring enough to actually lead said discussion," Spencer stated proudly, as though he had done something quite impressive. David just continued to grin at him, while the rest of the table shook their heads.

"So, are we just going to keep ignoring the elephant in the room?" Emily blurted out. The whole mood at the table shifted, much to Spencer's despair. Any sign of lighthearted humor vanished, and left the dull sense of woe that they had all felt the day prior.

"Keith's asthma had never been an issue," Derek informed them all, his voice stiff and serious. His face was blank, except an unidentifiable emotion in his eyes. It was odd with Derek, he could shield you from his emotions at a drop of a hat. It was as though he'd been trained to do so. "He barely ever even had to use his inhaler."

"We all know the asthma excuse is bullshit," Emily added in. "He died the same exact way that Kathryne died, it was damn near identical."

"Not a bad excuse, though," Spencer said. They all looked at him as though he must be joking, so Spencer decided to clarify what he'd meant, "While asthma is not directly linked to seizures, asphyxiation from an asthmatic attack could lead to one. Deprivation of oxygen in general could."

"Do you have any idea what he was given?" Aaron inquired.

"My best guess? Cyanide poisoning. Possibly, anyway. It causes convulsions, and death by asphyxiation," Spencer explained. Once he saw that everyone still looked quite interested, he continued on. "Cyanide can become apparent with testing, and it should be something that toxicology picks up on; but given the situation we're in, it's safe to say it won't. It comes in different forms, but my best guess was that Keith ingested it. Reaction time is as little as one to fifteen minutes. In a gaseous form, death can be almost instantaneous."

"You told us a little bit about this awhile ago," Derek recalled. "Anything else we should know about it?"

"Uhh...if a victim is to be saved, treatment must take place in the first thirty minutes after the poison is given," Spencer recalled, as he tried to bring back his knowledge on the topic, everything he had ever read on it. "Many patients need aggressive supportive care. Testing can be done to confirm that it's a cyanide poisoning, but usually not in time to do any good," he continued gravely. "The antidotes are often dangerous, and need to be used with extreme caution. It also sometimes has a bitter almond smell to it, but not everyone can detect it."

"Do you think it's his or her drug of choice?" Emily inquired. Spencer had to appreciate how passionate she seemed about whatever was happening. He'd learned that once Emily had a mission, she took it very seriously.

Spencer shrugged. "We can assume it," he replied, unsure of himself. "I feel as though it has been used in all three deaths."

"What is this? An Agatha Christie book?" David quipped with an eye roll. Derek eyed him suspiciously.

"Dude, do you have a fetish for the mystery genre?" Derek asked him. David looked at him in confusion. "You've literally been referencing different parts of it this entire time."

"Please, let's just stop there," Emily halted them, her hand held in the air before David could even speak. "I don't want to know anything about David Rossi's fetishes."

"You wish you knew more about my fetishes," David fired back at her. Emily gave him a look that was caught between offense and disbelief.

"I don't want to know about anyone's fetishes," Aaron blurted out, and looked at them all sternly. No one seemed to take him seriously.

"I bet you've got some freaky ones," David drawled out at him, Penelope giggled and Emily just rolled her eyes. "It's always the reserved ones."

"Man, if you could have only heard the dream he had a bit ago," Derek begun and chuckled, especially at the scandalized look that took over Aaron's usually blank features.

Spencer frowned in confusion. "You mean his nightmare?" He asked, he recalled that Aaron had been making noises in his sleep. He'd wondered why, since he could see Derek up, that the boy had made no move to wake him, and had shaken his head when Spencer had gone to.

"Kid." Derek tried, and failed, to conceal his chuckles. "That wasn't a nightmare."

"That's enough," Aaron stopped him, his face had turned slightly red. The table had seemed to take great joy in his misfortune, except Spencer, Spencer still hadn't a clue what Derek meant. "We're discussing more important things," he reminded them, hoping to sober the table up. It was incredible the lack of attention span they all seemed to possess.

Spencer just continued to stare between Derek and Aaron in confusion, and Derek looked at him and just smirked smugly. He raised his hand, and Spencer could only manage a squeak of horror before it came down to ruffle his hair.

"Spencer," Aaron continued on, as though Derek hadn't just assaulted Spencer's poor hair, that now stuck out in all types of odd directions. "How much do you know about poisons?"

Spencer bit his lip and went through his knowledge on the subject. "A reasonable amount, I suppose," he replied. "It intrigued me to some degree, as most things do. But there are probably those out there who know more."

"Well, whatever this guy is doing," Emily's voice was wrought with despair, any form of good humor gone, as though it had never even existed in her form. Her hands were folded on the table, knuckles white from how hard she pressed them together. She must have had a thing for handwashing, or the cold air got to her badly, because they were cracked. It was also obvious she picked at her nails, something Spencer had learned to be her nervous habit. "He's getting worse. This made no sense this time. He stuck to a schedule the first two times...now..." She trailed off, let her words hang in the air, as though they were forming a dark cloud above all their heads.

"What does this mean?" Penelope asked, voice small and frightened. "Does this mean it'll get worse?"

"Well, I'll say one thing, this guy isn't afraid to put on a show for the public," David stated. "Not just a show, but a second screening of it."

"Do we still think it's Liam?" Emily asked. Spencer felt his whole body stiffen. "Did anyone keep an eye on him at the game?"

"I-I didn't see him," Penelope stuttered out.

"I'm such an idiot," Spencer said with self-deprecation. The whole table looked at him in confusion, it was such an odd statement for such a smart boy to make. "Why didn't I go with him? What was I thinking? I didn't even look for him in the crowd!" He felt his breathing start to quicken as his body panicked. It had been his fault.

"Woah!" Derek reached out and put a hand on his back, and another on his arm. "Calm down, Spencer. Breathe, you're going to draw attention to yourself," he warned.

"Spencer," Aaron's stern voice cut through Spencer. "It wasn't your fault."

Spencer looked at him, eyes a mess of emotion. "I can't forget," he told them brokenly, Aaron's face softened. "I-I keep trying to. But I-." His voice was cut off, as a humiliating sob bubbled up his throat that he attempted to swallow down.

"None of us can, kid," Derek told him, hand still on his back, it rubbed soothing circles. "Eidetic memory or not, when it comes to those things, we all have an elephant's memory."

"How have no kids gotten taken home yet?" Emily asked with disgust. "We've witnessed two deaths in four weeks. You'd think some parents would be a tad bit perturbed."

"Maybe they don't know," Penelope suggested. "I mean, mine haven't even called about it."

"It's probably being kept under wraps," Aaron reasoned. He shoveled his eggs around on his plate, he obviously possessed as little appetite as Spencer.

Spencer hadn't been able to eat practically the whole day prior. He'd been getting thinner since he'd arrived at boarding school, since Kathryne. It seemed like after an event like that, your stomach just could never seem to settle. He'd always been skinny, but his skin had begun to look as though it stretched thin above the sharp points of his bones, as though they were fit to burst through at any moment. Like a thin sheet, put too much pressure on it and you'll just tear right through.

He knew he must have been a sight. The dark circles under his eyes contrasted with the sickly pale tone of the rest of his face, no red blotches of life on his cheeks, his lips milky white, his hair frizzed, fingernails overgrown, and has hands always seemed to tremble terribly. When he reached for his orange juice, they shook so badly that the orange drink splattered onto the table, it begun to dribble off, and took some of the leftover bread crumbs with it.

"I still say we should be doing something about Lockwood," Derek suggested, his eyes directed towards Liam's table with enough intensity to scare away the average man. Liam didn't even seem to notice the eyes on him, he was carefully cutting into his poached eggs.

"We have no proof Liam did this," Aaron reminded him. Derek turned his head to give the boy a sharp look, it was obvious where he stood on the matter. Spencer couldn't really blame him, he'd lost two friends.

"So what?" Emily inquired. "We go digging for other suspects?"

"I think it's naive to limit it to just one," Aaron said simply, he expertly ignored the daggers Derek shot at him. "We could miss the true perpetrator."

"Or we'd be so focused trying to find other people that match, that we'd let this one slide," Derek countered. "Spencer thinks it's Liam, right?" He turned to look at the boy, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Um...I...I...he's shown revealing reactions...but I don't possess proof of anything," Spencer stuttered out. Sometimes, with Derek's smiles and joking personality, it was hard to forget how intimidating the boy was.

"That's why we were going to break into his room," Emily reminded them, she drummed her fingers impatiently on the table. "Kind of seems like a stupid idea in the light of day."

"Well, to be fair, we're seventeen and fifteen years olds trying to solve a murder case," David responded dryly. "Of course we're going to be stupid."

"Hey, I'm eighteen next sunday," Emily reminded him. "I'll be the adult here," she said proudly.

"Yeah, then you can actually legally purchase your cigarettes," David said dryly. Emily gave him a thumbs up, and he chuckled.

"Your birthday is October 12th?" Emily nodded to answer Spencer's inquiry. "Mine's the 9th! We're close together!" He informed them all, rather cheerfully. Though, he couldn't put much effort into it. Spencer's birthday had never been exactly a happy occurrence.

"Your birthday is the 9th?" Penelope asked, she sounded less than thrilled, and her voice shook. Spencer looked at her in confusion, and slowly nodded his head. Penelope's eyes were welled up with tears, and her breath was labored. Spencer instantly regretted his origin of birth if it caused her such distress. "Everything is wrong!" She announced. The whole table looked at her in concern, Derek straightened his back up to a perfect line, and he raised his hand to the table, as though he were ready to shoot up at any moment.

"What's wrong?" David asked her in concern. He looked around the room, no one had noticed the scene that had started to occur.

"Everything's wrong!" Penelope tearfully declared, her shaky hands reached into her jacket pocket to pull out a clump of tissues, which she patted underneath her eyes with as tears started to rain down her face, little black flakes of mascara were taken down with them. "People are dying, my friends are in danger, AND I DON'T EVEN HAVE A GIFT FOR MY FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY!" She sobbed.

"I-I don't need a gift!" Spencer rushed to assure her, unable to fathom why that would ever upset her.

"Babygirl," Derek's voice was soft and soothing. He reached his hand across the table, reached for one of her hands and peeled it from the tissue. "It's not for awhile, hm? We can get pretty boy something real nice before then," he assured her.

"I can't do this," she whimpered. She continued to dab underneath her eyes, her clumps of mascara tainted the bright white soft sheet. "I can't be my sparkly self when all this is happening."

"Babygirl," Derek's voice was still soft, kind. It amazed Spencer how physically intimidating he was, but under all that was...this. "It's all going to be okay, I promise."

Penelope sniffled, but a tiny smile tugged at her lips. It was then Spencer really took in how much the happenings must have drained her, the bubbly blonde wasn't even wearing her brightly colored lipstick. "You can't promise that."

"I can, and I will. Mama knows I never break a promise." Derek looked at her with endearment, and rose a hand to reach across the table to run a hand through a stray strand of blonde hair, he tucked it behind her ear. She smiled at him, watery, eyelashes splashed tears onto the lens of her glasses.

"Mama knows," she confirmed. The smile they shared was soft, and warm. Spencer couldn't help but think it was lucky they'd both met one another. They brought out the best in each other. Penelope brought out Derek's soft, kindness, and Derek without fail always managed to calm Penelope, and make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the room.

"We can do this," Emily said firmly. "Like we've already discussed, we all have different skills. Maybe we're just not using them correctly."

"Penelope," Aaron addressed the blonde, who shifted her vision away from Derek to show he had her attention. "I think we've already confirmed the fact that you can hack into anything, correct?"

"Give me Satan's IP, and I'll hack into Hell," she quipped. The rest of the table chuckled in delight.

Aaron smiled, Spencer had noticed he could be quite tender with Penelope. "Not necessary, but appreciated." His face grew more somber. "I need you to dig up everything humanly possible on Liam Lockwood." Penelope opened her mouth to reply, but Aaron cut her off quickly, "I know you've dug up a lot, but I want you to get everything humanly possible on him. No stone left unturned."

Penelope's whole face brightened, and her smile was one of incredulity and joy. "You want me to hack into the land that should be left unhacked?!"

Aaron reluctantly nodded, but quickly clarified, "But I don't want you to get caught. So only hack where you know you won't."

She looked mildly put out. "My dear, sweet, Aaron," she released his name with a gust of air. "Have you not known me for many years, my sweet? Not even the FBI could catch me."

"Yeahhh," David stretched out the word. "I wouldn't test that theory if I were you."

"Dollface, with all I've hacked into, the FBI is probably beside themselves," she informed them confidently. The signs of her former panic still evident, but her carefree persona seemed to take over as she was placed in her element.

"Well, in that case, some extra home-work would be looking into other potential suspects," Aaron advised.

"I'd do a background check on all his friends," Emily suggested, she then directed her attention to Spencer. "You said they all have grudges against the sports teams, right?"

"Amelia and Scarlett, mostly," Spencer answered. "Sawyer seems to have the least of a grudge, and Owen is pretty mild. Ella kind of seems indifferent."

"I don't know much about Ella," Penelope mused. "She keeps to herself."

"Well, just to be safe, dig into this," Aaron told her. He pondered for a moment. "Hey, Derek?" The other boy looked at him in inquiry. "Was there anyone rejected from the football team last year? Or early this year?"

"Tryouts start before school," Derek answered, mildly confused. "The team was already put together by the time school started, so I'd assume someone was turned down. Why?"

"Because maybe that's why he has such a grudge," Emily spoke up before Aaron could, as she was able to follow his lead. "He could have been rejected by the team."

"Then why kill Kathryne?" David inquired.

"She could have been a trial run," Spencer contemplated. "To master his craft."

"So practice the poison on Kathryne, see it work, and then go after his true target," David said. "Sounds about right."

"I'll get you the names," Derek begrudgingly agreed, his eyes cast another glance to Liam's table. "But I feel like we're wasting time."

"We're covering all our bases," Aaron corrected.

Derek opened his mouth to talk, but he was cut off by Cruz demanding quiet in the dining hall. "After breakfast everyone will meet together for an assembly! We have an announcement!"

"Oh no," David groaned. "This can't be good."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

He was right, it wasn't.

Erin Strauss had marched in, and had given the announcement that, while homecoming still was happening, that the homecoming football game was cancelled.

Spencer had instantly moved away from Derek, who looked angered by the entire announcement. The school's reasoning was the recent event that had happened at the game, and the fact the team was down a player. The homecoming dance was that weekend, and it would commence, but without the game the night prior. Derek was fuming.

Spencer decided it was best to keep his distance from the other boy that day.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer sat in his AP English class, bored out of his mind. Classes used to be something he enjoyed at school, a time where he'd get to sit and learn. But after years of staying back in classes, the material being some that he'd learned years prior, it had started to pick away at his spirit. He learned nothing, thus it just seemed to be a grand waste of his time.

That was why he felt both grateful, nervous, and suspicious when his English teacher, Ms. Sanders, announced that his presence had been requested outside of class, and that he'd been excused.

Spencer had warily stood from his seat, gathered his textbook, and quietly left class. Emily had been in AP English, as well, and watched him go with concern. He gave her a tiny little shrug as he went to exit the class, and she simply just stared as he left.

Spencer opened the thick door, and meekly poked his head out of it before the rest of his body had followed. He couldn't hold back his surprise at who stood before him, for it was Mason. His old, worn, faded jeans had dirt on the knees, his thick brown sneakers had started to fall apart, and his cotton shirt had holes all in it. He wore a thin jacket, and smiled at Spencer kindly.

"I do recall making a promise to a young man about teaching him to carve a pumpkin," he said warmly.

Spencer's surprise faded, and a smile split across his face. He felt guilt well in his heart, he hadn't helped Mason in a while, yet the older man still bailed him out of class so he could keep his promise to him. Despite the fact that Spencer had a good reason for his abandonment, he couldn't help but feel like a truly rotten person for what he'd done. Mason seemed to enjoy his help, and carried enough of a fondness for the young boy to keep a promise to him.

"You got me out of class to teach me to carve a pumpkin?" Spencer inquired, amused and appreciative.

"Well, I doubted old Ms. Sanders would appreciate me carrying a pumpkin into her class, she's a bit stiff that way," Mason joked, and winked at the boy. Spencer's smile grew, and Mason continued on, "I was going to wait until your free-time, but I assumed your schedule must have been filled recently."

Spencer flinched, Mason's tone wasn't accusatory, yet it still hurt something inside Spencer. He hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry," he repented quietly. "I just...I haven't been able to-."

"No apologies needed," Mason told him, and gripped his shoulder tightly so Spencer would meet his eye. "We'll discuss further once I get you practicing with the pumpkins."

Spencer grinned, and nodded. He followed Mason down the hall, and out of the school to the grounds. The day was nice, especially for fall. The trees already had many of their leaves abandoning them, and what was left was an array of beautiful colors. Spencer recalled that his Mother had always been quite morbid about fall, she always said it was the season of death. How everyone just saw the beauty, when really everything was just dying away, something so horrible disguised as something so beautiful. Spencer tended to always ignore that opinion of his Mother's, it did nothing but depress him, and he wouldn't allow himself to grow depressed for his favorite season of the year.

The wind blew a chill through his jacket and straight to the skin. He shivered, and wrapped his arms around himself. The dress jacket wasn't meant to handle such chilly conditions, it was mainly for show. Mason seemed to notice that, and threw his head back in laughter. He then begun to take off his own jean jacket, and handed the thin piece of to Spencer.

"You're from lands of sunshine, aren't you?" He asked in amusement. Spencer flushed, and nodded. He put on Mason's jacket over his own, it was much bigger than he was. Mason's shoulders were broader, his muscles larger, and his overall stature was one much larger than Spencer's own. He looked like a little kid who got into his Father's clothing.

"Vegas usually doesn't grow as cold," Spencer agreed, he held the jacket tightly around himself and followed Mason as he continued to walk through the grounds. The wind bothered him considerably less with both jackets wrapped comfortably around his thin form. The wind blew so hard, it looked like it could take the small young man with it, blow him away with the leaves.

Spencer followed Mason all the way to a shed behind the school, Mason walked right up to it and opened it up, gestured for Spencer to follow him inside. Spencer walked inside, and saw it consisted of all of Mason's gardening tools, and all of the things he needed to maintain the grounds. It was a rather spacious shed, and had room for a table that rest in the middle of it, right in the middle rest a big, orange pumpkin, fresh, along with a multitude of tools that surrounded it.

Spencer stared at it, and then back at Mason, apprehensive, but ultimately excited. "I really have never done this," he confessed, he approached the pumpkin slowly, as if it were a skittish animal. "Is it hard?"

"We'll start you off simple," Mason said. "We'll start with the normal face with big scary teeth that all the little kids seem to favor."

Spencer smiled. "Jack-o'-lantern! I did always like those."

"Well." Mason returned the smile. "You do seem to be one for classics."

"The jack-o'-lantern can be either a carved pumpkin, or a turnip, it was named after the phenomenon of strange light flickering over peat bogs, called will-o'-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern," Spencer explained, he'd approached the table so he stood directly in front of the plump, orange fruit. He hesitantly brought a hand to the surface of it, the smooth feel of one area, and then dragged it along over the ridges, it was cool under his fingertips. "Its origins are uncertain. Gourds were used to carve lanterns by the Maori over 700 years ago. There is a belief that the custom of carving jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween originated in Ireland, where turnips, mangelwurzel or beets were supposedly used-." He'd cut himself off when he noticed that Mason had begun laughing. He frowned in confusion.

"My, you really can go on, can't you?" Mason inquired with amusement.

Spencer flushed scarlet and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "So I've been told," he admitted in embarrassment. "I need to work on it."

"Don't," Mason advised. "It's charming."

Spencer looked at him in bewilderment. "What?!" He asked in surprise. "It is?!"

"Those who care for you will find it endearing, and it will continue to annoy those who don't," Mason answered in good humor. "It's a win-win situation."

Spencer let out a tiny laugh, and then observed the tools on the table. "We should get going, class will be over soon."

"You're out of your next few classes," Mason replied plainly, as though he hadn't just said something jarring.

Spencer looked at him in confusion. "Huh?" Was all he managed to get out.

"I spoke to your teachers, you're out through lunch. You can go back in to grab lunch if you'd prefer, but I'd be happy to take you out for a bite myself," Mason explained pleasantly. "I could probably get you out of some after lunch, as well. But I doubt you'd like to spend that long away from class."

"I'm sorry I haven't been much help in the gardens," Spencer blurted out, he hadn't intended to.

"As I said, there is no need for apologies," Mason reminded him, but he then looked at Spencer with consideration. "But may I ask why you've been spending time with Liam Lockwood?" Spencer stiffened. "He seems much different from your normal group of friends."

"Maybe that's what I like about him," Spencer countered, overly defensive about the innocent question. He wasn't used to things like this, and he felt cornered as he stood in the shed.

Mason actually, much to Spencer's surprise, laughed. "You don't like him at all, do you?" He inquired. Spencer froze, unable to do anything, argue or confirm. "Well, wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen," Mason mused. Spencer immediately caught on to what he meant, and looked at him anxiously.

"Were you there?" He inquired, they both knew exactly what it was that he spoke of.

Mason shook his head in the negative. "No, I wasn't," he said. "Not too sad about that fact. Terrible thing to happen, much too close to the other terrible thing." He gave Spencer a meaningful look. "Rather similar the two, weren't they?"

Spencer felt a lump in his throat, he wondered if he were mistaking the knowledge in Mason's voice. Perhaps he suspected what Spencer and his friends had? "Yes," Spencer confirmed. "Identical."

"Some might assume this to be a dangerous time," Mason mused, his voice still filled with meaning, Spencer picked up on it instantly.

"Some might," he once again agreed.

"Some might also advise a young man and his friend to try to stay out of the woods at such a dangerous time," Mason continued, and give Spencer a stern look. Spencer's eyes widened, mouth agape. "It's quite dangerous thing to do, no matter the situation. Your friend isn't as stealthy as he thinks he is."

Spencer flushed. "You try telling him that," he joked mildly. He started to shake, he'd had no clue anyone had seen him that night. "What were you doing up?"

"Classic case of insomnia," Mason replied. "I live here, and I go for walks when I can't sleep." He gave Spencer a meaningful look. "Also, tell your friend he really shouldn't be getting drunk on school nights."

Spencer's eyes popped open even further. "Um...I'm...I'll be sure to-...are you going to tell anyone?" He asked meekly.

Mason let out a string of chuckles, and Spencer flinched in surprise of it. "Please. Even if I told them, they wouldn't care, and with all the things I've seen students do, your friend is a saint."

"Not exactly my first choice of word for him," Spencer joked in good nature, he knew that if Derek had been there, he would have found the response amusing. "But he is a good guy."

"Ah, so he is," Mason agreed. "I've worked these grounds for awhile now, Spencer. I've seen quite a bit of the kids around here. Funny how parents seem to send the kids here for a tame environment...I'm afraid they're not getting their money's worth."

"Have you ever seen anything like...this?" Spencer inquired, unable to still his curiosity.

"I've seen some bad things," Mason informed him. "But this? Two kids dying violently in front of the entire student body? This is new to me. "

"...Does it frighten you?" Spencer asked.

"I'm afraid I'm too wise for it not to," Mason answered earnestly. "I'm sure you are, too."

"If you're scared, why not leave?" Spencer asked, unable to stop his stream of questions. If Mason was scared of what was happening, and seemed to see it for what it was, then why did he stay?

"Because if the students can't leave, then neither will I," Mason replied. "I see a lot, Spencer. I'm just hoping that I'll see something that can help."

"Do you think it will matter if you do?" Spencer asked, slightly sullen. "The school seems to overlook a lot."

"The school is famous for oversights," Mason said. "They don't know something when it's plainly in front of their face. They just make bad choices all around, and it's always the kids that suffer."

"You said you see a lot...have you seen anything at all?" Spencer inquired, still not sure if he should directly state his inquiry, or if they were to dance around the topic, both aware, yet neither saying.

"Nothing that is of use, I'm quite afraid," Mason said. "But I may soon. People like us, Spencer, we don't run into the flock, we observe it."

"I guess we do," Spencer agreed. "Now, please allow me to observe as you teach me to carve a pumpkin."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had ended up going out to lunch with Mason. Part of him felt as though he was making a huge mistake, and that he should have returned to sit at Liam's table. But the day prior had proved none of the group seemed to have anything of use to say, and to be fair, he felt as though he could have learned more about the school by going to lunch with Mason. He remembered what Aaron had said at breakfast about branching out for other leads besides Liam, and Spencer made sure he did just that. He asked Mason every question on the school he could think of, and the man happily answered all of them.

Sadly, none of the answers enlightened Spencer on too much. The man had said certain things that had piqued his interest. Such as the fact that Mason really did seem to see everything. He told Spencer of the fact that Liam and David had almost come to blows freshman year. The fact had only slightly surprised Spencer, mainly for the reason that he felt as though Liam would have had to have been an idiot to instigate things with David to that point. Liam was well built, but David could have run him over. Not to mention the fact that he and Derek had apparently already become friends, which was a plus.

Mason informed him that Liam's family was very well respected, and admired. As was Scarlett's family, which was probably why they had started dating. Their families were the best of friends, and so their children had to be, as well. They grew up together, apparently.

Mason also told him that the school had been falling apart from the inside for a long time. He said it seemed as though every day there were more secrets to be covered up, and that a lot of work had to go into the school to keep it still looking so perfect to everyone on the outside. He said a person could do just about anything and get away with it.

Spencer thought about that a lot through his classes, it helped them feel less boring. He'd also thought about his jack-'o-lantern, and felt his face heat up in the middle of his class. He had not found his hidden talent, at all. It had looked worse than the five year old who'd lived across the street from him. Mason had tried to hold back his laughter, clapped Spencer on the back, and kindly told him they'd work on it together. Spencer didn't see himself improving much before it was their pumpkin carving event.

~.~.~.~.~.~

Something else Spencer had noticed after he'd returned to class, was that his group of friends looked less than pleased when they saw him. Well, that wasn't true. They had initially looked relieved when he'd passed them in the halls to get to class, but then every time after that they'd seemed annoyed. He'd had a feeling of dread build in inside of him, a weight that pushed down on him so heavy that he slouched as he walked, his feet clacked to the ground noisily.

After AP Chemistry, Spencer had spotted Emily approaching him. She walked down the hall quickly, purpose in each step. He wondered if maybe he'd made a mistake by going out with Mason for lunch, despite the fact that he was doing what he thought they would want him to do. Thanks to his memory he was able to retain the conversation they had, and felt as though he could relay it to them later.

Before Emily had gotten to him, Liam approached first. "Come on," he encouraged, head gestured to one side. "We're going to study."

Spencer cast a fleeting look towards Emily, who had frozen at her spot. Left leg still forward, right one still back, she'd frozen mid-strut. Her eyes looked between the two of them, before she turned on her heels and walked away. Spencer took that as the approval he needed, although he always did dread spending time with Liam.

"Alright," he agreed, forced smile plastered on his face. "Guess I can help Ella with her biology notes."

Liam rolled his eyes. "I swear, that girl has the same amount of intellect as the molded old stump at the back of the school."

"She's not that bad," Spencer defended, he and Liam walked step in step. "She just doesn't focus and gets her notes mixed."

"I believe you've already been able to tell that neither of the girls favor her very much," Liam said with a grin. "They don't conceal it very well."

"They really don't," Spencer agreed. "Do you...kind of feel bad for her?"

Liam snorted, and looked at Spencer as though he had asked the most ridiculous question. "Why would I?" He inquired. "She brings it on herself." At Spencer's slightly scandalized look, Liam rolled his eyes and explained, "She's not one of us, Spencer. I haven't a clue what Owen sees in her, but she shouldn't just get a free pass into our group."

"They seem to really like each other," Spencer pointed out. It was true, they publicly would cuddle up together, and would laugh at each other's jokes often. "So he must see something in her."

"Well, whatever it is, it isn't apparent to the naked eye," Liam dismissed. "But you're right, he is quite fond of her. He talks about her all the time." Liam then rolled his eyes. "Though, he'll talk about anything."

Spencer laughed, he had to agree. "I'm still confused by the lack of oxygen he intakes," Spencer admitted jokingly. Liam chuckled at his attempt.

"I want to put him on one of those monitors, see how low his oxygen levels go when he talks. I'll bet you it would set off an alarm."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

Without fail, Ella had more notes she wanted Spencer to look through. She thanked him multiple times as he went over all of them with a pencil, to add or correct each different one.

"I'm doing much better in class," she explained to him. "Because of you helping with my notes."

"Well it didn't take much," Amelia cut in from across the room. Her legs were crossed, left over right, her silky smooth skin on full display. She hadn't even looked up from her textbook. "You only needed a genius."

Scarlett giggled, Liam had apparently allowed her to sit next to him on his bed. They were cuddled up, books in front of each of them, his arm tossed around her, and her head rest on the nape of his neck, her eyes scanned the pages, and her hand tapped her pen.

"Oh come on, Amelia," Liam said absent-mindedly. "We all have subjects we're bad at. Ella just happens to have many."

Ella's face heated up, and Spencer noticed that Owen finally seemed aware of the fact that his girlfriend had been insulted. For someone who supposedly was quite smart, Spencer couldn't help but find the boy a bit thick.

"Hey," Owen tossed an arm around Ella's shoulder, and pulled her tightly to him. "She does great in her subjects."

"Does she now?" Liam asked dryly. "My mistake."

Owen's face grew red with anger, and his arm around Ella tightened. Ella looked at Owen, she almost seemed pleased, as though his reaction was a long time in the making. "If you're going to be jerks, we can leave."

"You won't," Sawyer cut in, he wasn't even studying, he was just eating Cheetos. "Who else would fix Ella's notes?"

"Don't go," Amelia blurted out. The whole room turned their attention to her, she had a slightly panicked expression on her face, but she quickly schooled it. "Everyone is just messing with her, as friends do," she assured Owen, her lips were forcibly lifted in some semblance of a friendly smile. "No one here means any real harm."

"Of course we don't," Scarlett agreed, her expression just as fake as Amelia's own. It was obvious she was trying to back up her best friend's wishes. "We were impolite. It has just been a...rough few days."

Spencer felt anger build up inside of him at the fact that they tried to pass off their tendency for cruelty on the fact that a fellow student had just died. To him, that crossed a whole new line.

Spencer had almost been wrapped up in his own anger, that he nearly missed the way Liam's arm tensed, his expression darkened, and his eyes tore away from his textbook to glance around the room, but when they met Spencer's, he quickly averted them. Spencer couldn't help but slightly side with Derek, part of him felt as though Liam were truly the culprit. All the lorgical signs pointed to him. But he needed facts...he could work with no less.

"Did any of you know him?" He asked the question similar to the one he'd asked about Kathryne. Liam stiffened even more so, and set his jaw, his eyes cast to the side as though he were thinking.

"No," Amelia answered, she was back to looking at her textbook. "I don't get why he wouldn't bring his inhaler to a football game if he has asthma," her voice leaked...something in it. Spencer couldn't quite identify the emotion, but his best guess was that she wasn't as blasé about it as she tried to come across.

"His asthma wasn't bad," Ella informed them, she looked next to her at the notes Spencer had corrected, her eyebrows knit together and her face thoughtful.

"How do you know that?" Liam asked, his voice tight. "If he died from it I'd say it was pretty bad."

Ella shrugged. "It was convenient," she said cryptically. It caught Spencer's attention, and he looked at her with confusion. Maybe she suspected something, as well?

"I don't get why he went for Derek Morgan," Amelia scoffed. "Like he'd help anyone except himself."

Spencer felt his hand tighten around the pencil, the grip so tight it surprised him the pencil didn't snap in two.

"Everyone was so useless," Scarlett agreed, she spun her pen around in her hand, and shook her head. She almost seemed not to notice that Liam was as stiff as a board next to her. "I swear, the entire team is incompetent."

"You shouldn't move someone if they're having a seizure," Ella reminded her, Scarlett looked at her in surprise. "Everyone knows that."

Scarlett's eyes narrowed, Amelia looked up from her textbook, and Sawyer looked incredibly amused. It was sad to Spencer how Ella correcting Scarlett won her more of a reaction than the mention of a boy's death. It also surprised Spencer how they seemed to have much less of a reaction to this death than the death of Kathryne, perhaps they'd just learned to compartmentalize.

"Well I'm afraid I don't do a lot of research on seizures," Scarlett replied tersely.

"You should," Ella told her. "It's important for first aid. Especially since we've had two happen this year."

"Like you'd be good at first aid?" Amelia scoffed at her, and laughed mockingly. "You can't even pass basic science courses."

Ella smiled fakely. "Passing classes doesn't do you much good if you can't put it to work," Ella told her, and then her eyes got a glint in them, and she cuddled close to Owen. "But you're not very good at assessing the situation in front of you."

"You know," Amelia started her reply, her eyes cool, if looks could kill than Ella would have been struck dead the moment after she'd made her remark. "Those notes won't do you much good if you can't retain any of it. Retaining what you have is the most important part," she told her. "Take your mind off of it for one second." She snapped her fingers. "Just like that, it's gone."

Spencer rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on his notes. It was all so petty to him. People were being murdered, and the two girls were fighting over a guy who was obviously only interested in one of them.

"That's true," Liam's voice did surprise him, though. "You take your eye off something for one second, and you lose."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had eaten dinner with Liam and his friends, he'd noticed his own group staring at him the entire time. It was awkward, and made him squirm in his seat so much that Owen had, quite loudly, called him out on it.

His mind replayed Liam's words over and over again. He'd kept his eye on the boy all through dinner, but he made no other odd statements, or odd movements. Liam just simply sat, ate, and replied to bits of the conversation. Ella and Amelia kept glaring at each other, and Scarlett kept backing up Amelia, Sawyer ate, and Owen talked. It was pretty much the group's usual interaction, but something felt different that day. Perhaps it was Spencer's own suspicions, or perhaps it was something else entirely. But he'd felt much more alert, and suddenly wished he hadn't had his lunch with Mason, he took his eye off of Liam for just a mere second, then and at the game...did he lose?

The question reeled in his mind as he went to walk back to his own room, his friend's had left the dining hall before he had. He'd had every intention of sharing with them everything had happened, but he quickly noticed once he'd finally entered his room, that he was not going to be the first to speak.

"Where the hell were you?!" Emily demanded of him, she marched over to him and tugged him the rest of the way into the room. Everyone else sat there, as though they were parents ready to scold their child. "You disappeared until after lunch!"

Spencer rubbed his arm through his jacket, awkward and uncomfortable. He shuffled his feet on the hardwood, and focused his attention on the scratches that littered the smooth surface. "Mason bailed me out of class," he explained.

"Why'd he do that?" Penelope asked. She was seated on the floor, her laptop, unsurprisingly, in her lap. He wondered how she'd retrieved it so fast between dinner and that moment.

"...he wanted to teach me how to carve a jack-'o-lantern," Spencer admitted, he felt his face heat up as the whole room stared at him in bewilderment. He'd mentioned it before, but with recent events being what they were, the group probably would have expected him to redirect his focus.

"Why weren't you at lunch?" Derek demanded. "We were worried sick about you, man!"

"He took me out for lunch," Spencer explained, he raised his head to see that Derek looked furious. "I know I should have been keeping an eye on Liam!" Spencer admitted. "But...Mason knows a lot about the school..and I remembered what Aaron said about branching out, so I decided to see if I could learn any new information."

"From the groundskeeper?" Derek asked him in disbelief.

"Yeah, by the way he said for me to tell you to stop getting wasted on school nights," Spencer quipped. Derek's eyebrows shot up, and his mouth popped open. He heard behind him David losing it, he was leaned up against the side of Spencer's bed.

"Well tell him to mind his own business," Derek shot back, his arms crossed over the chest, and Penelope gently pat his ankle.

"Did you learn anything important?" Aaron cut in, before Spencer could reply to Derek's remark. "Other than how to carve a jack-o'-lantern?"

"I didn't even learn the latter all that well," Spencer admitted, he walked over to his bed and plopped down on it, amused by how David inched away from his shoes. "Not much of use. Except...I think Mason knows something is going on, he just doesn't know who is behind it. He also told me there's a lot of corruption in the school, and no matter how many kids we lose...it will probably be covered up." Spencer shrugged. "My guess is the perpetrator knows it, as well."

"Anything else on Liam?" Derek inquired, hands now folded in his lap and he leaned in. Obviously, Derek was still focused on Liam's possibility as the culprit, and after the day he'd had, Spencer couldn't blame him.

"He was VERY tense when the death was brought up," Spencer informed the room. "He showed some classic symptoms of guilt and he, well, he said something," Spencer begun, not quite sure how to put it in the correct context. Everyone seemed to lean in, eager to hear what it was. "We were talking about retaining information...and...he...he said if you take your eye of something for one moment, then you lose," Spencer quoted back to them. "It wasn't so much the words as how he said them, they had meaning to them."

They all looked at Aaron expectantly, but the boy merely sighed and shrugged. "Inconclusive," he stated. Derek and David both let out sounds of frustration, and Aaron quickly continued, "His words fit into the context of your discussion, Spencer, it could have just been that you were hypervigilant," he suggested.

Spencer narrowed his eyes, and frowned deeply. "I'm perfectly aware of knowing what is going on around me," Spencer informed the other boy haughtily. "I know that what he said has a deeper meaning."

"Is that a fact?" Aaron inquired.

Spencer drooped, his anger suddenly vanished, and he wrung his fingers together, looked at the way they intersected, and took in a deep breath before he answered, "No."

"Why are you so set on it not being him?" Derek inquired of Aaron, he looked annoyed and frustrated.

"I'm not set against it being him, and honestly he's our best bet, but I'm working with the facts, Derek. We have no proof that Liam hurt anyone. All we have is our assumptions, which won't do us any good," Aaron explained calmly, voice even. But his posture betrayed his own anxiousness, it was obvious he was just as much of a mess internally as the rest of them.

"What about the rejected football players?" Spencer asked. "Did you get any names?"

"Everyone was too pissed off about the game being cancelled to have questions asked," Derek explained. "I tried to work it in as a way to ask about new players, they told me some names, babygirl is going to do a search on them." He gestured to Penelope, who saluted Spencer from her location on the floor.

"I will leave no stone unturned," she assured them. "I will sit here on my perfect posterior until we find our guy."

"...That is the oddest assurance of hard work I've ever heard," David mused, and most of the room chuckled or laughed.

"I just wish we had more to work with," Emily told them, she had begun to pace, and picked at her nails as she did so. "All we know is Spencer's expert opinion." Spencer flushed, flattered at being referred to as an "expert". "That it's cyanide," Emily continued. "Also that the target seems to be kids in sports. Beyond that? It's all unclear."

"At least we have a main suspect," Penelope reminded them cheerfully. "That's always good, right?"

"Not when you have no proof to back up your claim," David replied honestly. "Without proof it's just another complication."

"I just wish we had more-." Emily was cut off by a knock on the door. It was loud, and echoed through the room. She frowned in confusion, and observed all the people already inside. They were all there.

"Who is that?" Penelope whispered.

"Time to find out," Emily replied and approached the door, she cracked it open, and they all saw the look of shock that came over her face before they saw who it was. "Jennifer?" She asked in surprise.

Penelope gasped, and immediately set her computer next to herself, she rose from the ground eagerly as the blonde smiled politely at the door.

"Hi, Emily," Jennifer greeted politely, she eyed inside the room. "Can I come in? It's important."

"Come in!" Penelope pushed past Emily, before the brunette could reply, and opened the door widely. Jennifer grinned at her and walked into the room slowly, hesitantly. It was odd, her knock had so much power, but she really seemed so nervous.

"Hey," David greeted, his voice rather polite, but confused. "What brings you here?"

"I came here because..." Jennifer sighed and ran a hand through her blonde hair, she released an uncomfortable laugh that held no humor in it. The whole room looked at her with concern. "Look, I know we haven't been close lately-."

"That's an understatement," David cut her off, Jennifer bit her lip and nodded, and Penelope glared at him with enough wrath to kill.

"I know we haven't been close," Jennifer continued. "But that doesn't change the fact that I've known you guys since I started coming here...well...most of you." She cast a glance over to Spencer, who couldn't think of anything else to do except give her an awkward wave. To his surprise, she actually gave him a rather kind smile in return for his efforts. "So I know when you guys are up to something."

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked her, he cast a glance to the rest of the room, the faces which looked just as lost on what to do as he did.

Jennifer actually smiled with almost affection. "Come on, Aaron. I can see you guys from my table, too, you know. I can see you guys leaning in and whispering to each other, casting glances around the whole lunch room, and especially looking at me. I know you guys know that there's something going on...and when Penelope questioned me...I became sure of it," Jennifer explained. "I know you," she told Penelope, who she turned to look at. The other blonde seemed to have tears in her eyes. "I know when you're acting off, and you were acting off. Look." She sucked in a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a moment. "I knew something was going on, but I didn't want to admit it to myself. I even tried to ignore it after I heard the rumors about Ronald Richardson truly having overdosed and not just left. But after...after what happened at the game, I can't ignore it."

"Ignore what?" Aaron asked her, he looked at her intently, waiting for her to make the first move.

"I know you guys know that something is going on," Jennifer announced. "You guys admitted it to yourselves long before I was able to." She closed her eyes once again, and sniffled slightly. She stood there, in the middle of the room, open and honest, right in front of a group of old friends who she'd had next to no contact to recently. Spencer couldn't help but admire the bravery it had to take to do such a thing. "Keith didn't die because of asthma, Richardson didn't leave or die of an overdose, and Kathryne-." Her voice had wobbled, and Penelope had rushed closer to her to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, Jennifer instantly leaned into it. "Kathryne didn't die because of natural causes."

There was a long moment of silence in the room. It was almost as though no one knew quite what to say. They all felt validated in their own beliefs, much like Spencer had when Mason had hinted at his own, but none knew what to say.

"Before she." Jennifer sucked in another breath, and her eyes reflected the bravery inside of her, for the next words to leave her mouth would impact everyone. "Before she died, Kathryne told me her water tasted funny, like something had gotten in it," Jennifer admitted, tears welled in her brave eyes. "Then she died. I...I told myself it was just her taste buds, that it was nothing. Because it seemed too terrible to actually be something. Especially since I figured that if there was anything wrong with her, they would have found it in the autopsy report." She looked rueful. "But they didn't. So I just thought I was crazy for thinking it."

Everyone absorbed her words. They all knew that Kathryne had said something about her drink before she fell, and now they all felt validated in their belief of what she had said. Jennifer stood before them, she held back her tears and stared at the rest of the room.

"You guys must think I'm awful," she continued once no one had spoken. "For not saying anything."

"Nothing you said would have done any good," Aaron assured her, his voice sympathetic and low in volume. "You counted on the officials to do the right thing, you didn't do anything wrong."

Jennifer smiled gratefully at him. "You guys are trying to figure out who did it, aren't you?" She asked. "You're the only people I know who are crazy enough to try."

"I resent that," David said. Jennifer turned to look at him, and raised a blonde brow. "Well, it's true, but I resent it."

Jennifer laughed softly, before she sobered up again. "Kathryne was my friend, and if you are the only people that are trying to figure out who killed her, then I want in," she announced.

"You're sure about it?" Emily asked her, she still stood by the door. "Like you said, we're pretty crazy."

"Not to mention it could damage your image," Derek added, his voice was slightly light-hearted, but it also carried a note of hurt to it. Jennifer's face softened as she looked at him.

"I don't care about my image," she informed him, and the rest of the room. "I care about finding out who did this, but I also care about all of you," she explained. "I want my friends back."

"If you're serious-." Aaron was cut off by Jennifer,

"Oh, I am."

"Then you've got them," Aaron told her. "That is, if the rest will have you."

There was a moment of silence, before everyone slowly nodded their head, Penelope the most eager. Spencer just merely sat there, he was never her friend, and didn't know if he had the right to nod or not.

"Oh! We also have Spencer now!" Penelope released Jennifer's arm to run over to Spencer, and tugged him to his feet. He let out a groan of annoyance at being pulled from his bed. "Isn't he cute?!"

Jennifer snickered, and brought a hand to her mouth to cover her smile at the miserable expression on Spencer's face. "Adorable," she replied.

"Well, Jennifer," David begun, and smirked up at her from his position on the floor. "Welcome to the team."

"Oh, David," Jennifer scoffed. "Please. We both know it's JJ."


	11. Chapter 11

Spencer hadn't a clue what to expect when it had been announced that Jennifer was to join the group.

He'd at first been nervous, he wasn't exactly opposed to change, but he'd grown comfortable with their group. Not to mention the fact that Jennifer was, by all means, popular. He wasn't one to judge a person by their social standing, or a book by its cover for that matter, but his past had shown him that popular girls were commonly not kind to him. They'd aid the pranks of the popular boys, and join in to humiliate him.

They'd had a lengthy discussion that night, and had proceeded to fill Jennifer in on what they knew. David, Derek, and Emily still seemed hesitant to reveal their information, but Aaron and Penelope seemed to give it up rather easily. It was odd, Penelope was always the most vocal about missing Jennifer, but it seemed the others were more quiet because they were hurt by it. Especially Emily, who he noticed kept casting looks her way. But then again, Spencer wasn't surprised. The action by the blonde had hurt everyone, and a sudden reappearance didn't make up for it.

Jennifer had seemed surprised with the accusation of Liam Lockwood, and had asked if it had anything to do with the fact that no one in the group liked him, which had earned her a rather unhappy response. Spencer had quietly explained to her what he'd noticed, still uncomfortable around the new addition. He often messed up first impressions, and when he found himself rambling on about poisoning statistics to the point where David lightly smacked his leg, he'd learned he'd once again made another bad one. But he didn't seem to learn, since he'd went on to talk about asthma statistics not even ten minutes later. Judging by the raised eyebrows and look of disbelief the blonde wore clued him in on that, although she had been informed of his intelligence, she might not have anticipated the extent of it.

They had told Jennifer how they had called themselves "The Misfits"...and after she had gotten done laughing, they told her their titles. She'd looked at them in disbelief for quite a bit, while David squeezed at the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb. It was weird how the idea of their "ranks" had grown to be so normal to them, but when an outsider heard it they just seemed like a bunch of nine year olds who started a club.

Jennifer had seemed a tad bit apprehensive about some of the things the group thought, and certain moves they planned to make. Such as, she didn't understand why if they thought Liam was the killer that they'd send Spencer to hang out with him. Derek seemed to feel validated, and smirked knowingly when she'd seemed horrified. Spencer had to wonder to himself if he seriously looked as helpless as a kitten.

They'd decided that Jennifer had connections that the rest of them didn't have. Such as the fact that she was more popular than all of them, and that she was in one of the sports teams where one of the victims was targeted. The connections were too important to lose, so they decided on a system similar to Spencer's. She sat with them at breakfast, and then hung around her regular friends for the rest of the day, and they could meet up at night if need be. They'd also decided that Jennifer would give her friends some story involving the fact that she "pitied" her old friends and decided to grace them with her presence for at least breakfast. Jennifer had seemed almost offended by that plan, and had informed them that the friends she had weren't that shallow...which had resulted in David, Derek, and Emily all laughing. Spencer had just sat and watched the scene politely, every time he opened his mouth it seemed like the wrong thing popped out of it.

Of course, that tended to be the story of his life.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

The days that had followed leading up to the homecoming dance had been...different. Partaking in breakfast with the rest of the group had become routine, and it wasn't as though Jennifer disrupted it, but she was a new addition that Spencer hadn't quite known how to handle. He'd been informed by the girl to just call her JJ. She wasn't unkind to Spencer, by any stretch of the imagination, if anything she usually just followed the same sarcastic teasing route the rest of the group seemed to follow. But he felt the cool gazes from the table filled with Jennifer's friends, and often found himself hanging his head as he attempted to ignore them. It was then he realized it had been awhile since he'd been looked at like that.

Penelope had done another search on Liam, but this one had been extensive. She had searched places that made Spencer scared that the police would be breaking down their dorm room door, and that they'd proceed to take them all away to jail as accomplices. Penelope was as unconcerned as ever, it sometimes frightened Spencer just how invincible she felt when it came to her computers. Sometimes he felt like Penelope sought the same comfort in her computers as he had in his statistics, in his books. Both of the things brought them a sense of security, comfort, and made them feel like experts in something. But of course, his hobby wasn't illegal. But he decided not to get into semantics.

When it came to Liam, though, they had found certain things of use. Some things weren't as impressive, such as the fact that he'd purchased books on poisons before he'd started the school year. Naturally, Aaron had been the one to point out that this was inconclusive, and not solid evidence. If they were to arrest anyone who did research on poisons, then most of the writing population, not to mention a fair amount of students, would be in a cell. But then, something incredible had happened. Penelope uncovered a Lockwood family secret. Liam had bragged before about the work his Uncle did, and all about how the man traveled around the world and did good for the less fortunate, such as work in Africa that concerned building orphanages, how he'd provide food for the starving, clean water, and such. As it turned out, the truth was a lot more juicy; considering his Uncle was serving time in prison for the first-degree attempted murder of his wife; Liam's Aunt.

After the shocked looks on everyone's faces slowly faded to more of just a relatively surprised, slack-jawed, eye bulged, expression, Aaron had pointed out the fact that the event still didn't prove that Liam was guilty. Emily had countered with the fact that the act could have inspired Liam, and Derek had shocked them all when he'd snapped at her that seeing people doing bad things doesn't make it your destiny to do the same. Considering the fact that Derek was strongly against Liam, the behavior seemed increasingly out of character. Emily had calmly attempted to explain to her angry friend that she never intended for her words to be interpreted that way, and that she merely meant that if he'd already been having thoughts, there was his inspiration.

Penelope had said she didn't see how that made sense, since Liam's Uncle had been sentenced three years prior. Jennifer had surprised them all by adding in the fact that it could have been planned for a long time, inspired by his Uncle's own act years prior. It wasn't like it was the easiest thing in the world to get your hands on a good supply of cyanide when the boy had only been fourteen at the time. They had all inquired of Penelope how exactly Liam's Uncle had attempted the murder.

He'd put ethylene glycol in her coffee.

He'd tried to poison her.

Even Aaron had to admit, that was something.

~.~.~.~.~.

The days seemed to pass by so quickly, but it still seemed like it took a million years at the same time. The hours seemed to tick away exceptionally slow, and Spencer often found himself glaring at the clock as he was stuck with Liam and his friends, and then yet, when it was all said and done, Spencer hadn't felt like there was nearly enough time.

Spencer had to wonder if Liam had picked up on the fact that he might know something. The boy barely spoke, and when he did? There was nothing of use to take away from it. It was insanely frustrating for the young genius. Liam had schooled his facial expression to blankness, and his eyes just seemed dead and void. There was no readable body language, and Spencer couldn't trigger a reaction out of him.

The days that led up to homecoming were filled with aggravation. Penelope had run a background check on the names that Derek had given her, but nothing of use was found. They all just had perfectly normal backgrounds, not a single offense on record.

"Did you do an extensive one?" Aaron asked, the morning of homecoming. The dining hall seemed especially loud, and talks of dresses and dates could be overheard from across the room. One guy in particular didn't seem to understand the fact that the whole dining hall was listening to him talk about how he'd been after this girl, who was his date, trying to get the nerve to ask her on a date for the past three years, and he'd finally succeeded. The date in question sat with her group of friends, mouth agape and eyes wide while her friends snickered. She looked oddly delighted, though, so it probably wasn't that big of a disaster.

"For the billionth time, yessir! The only thing I found out that was mildly interesting was that Finn Farley is finally getting his braces off. I'm so happy for him! He's had them on for like, well, I don't really know. He had them on when I met him-." Penelope's excited rant was cut off again by Derek.

"Why are we still wasting our time with this? Poisoning is even in Liam's family. He's the only one we have any stable motive behind," Derek reminded them. Obviously he had dropped any original reservations on the family relation argument.

"We can't have a one track mind," Aaron shot back at him, obviously just as frustrated as Derek. Deep blue streaks were painted underneath his eyes, the sign of the fact that Aaron slept just as terribly as the rest of them. No matter the cool and calm exterior, he was only human. Penelope had even offered him some concealer, which the boy promptly refused. His lips were set in a thin straight line, so pressed down on that they looked pure white.

"We're almost sure it's him, Aaron. We should be chasing that. Not having Penelope wasting her time hacking into God knows where," Derek said.

"Hey! Baby is handling herself just fine, thank you," Penelope reminded him, slightly indignant. "I could do this stuff in my sleep."

Jennifer shook her head, she seemed rather upbeat that morning, despite the fact she was obviously still exhausted, she looked at her friends fondly, it almost seemed as though she were reminiscing. Spencer watched her curiously, and wondered why on earth she'd ever give the group up. Even if it seemed as though she were trading up, there was no other group of friends in the world like them, he was pretty sure of it.

"Do you think whoever it is will try anything tonight?" David inquired. "I mean, welcoming day, football game, the only quiet one was the 'overdose'."

"Wouldn't four kids be a bit obvious?" Jennifer asked. "I mean, we've only been here a little over a month."

Spencer shook his head and played with the fork in his hand, once again not hungry. He remembered back to when he was a lot younger and he saw a magician do a trick with a spoon, he made it bend right in front of his eyes. He'd been so intrigued by the trick that it made him get into magic. Both of his parents had been surprised when they saw him practising it, and his Father had been rather opposed, but they'd both let it be. It made him happy.

"Strauss looks stressed to all hell," David observed. "But then again, what else is new?"

"You know, with the smeared makeup, bags under her eyes, and disheveled clothing, she almost looks human," Jennifer joked, but her voice edged on spiteful. Her blonde hair had been tugged back into a tight ponytail that almost seemed to be painful, each blonde strand seemed to be clinging to her scalp for dear life, pulled so tight the skin attempted to follow. With the hair removed from her face, the hollows of her cheeks were more prominent, it reflected how poorly she'd been eating. Spencer assumed that must be pretty bad for an athlete.

"Hey now, don't insult her, she's David's girlfriend," Derek quipped. David ignored him and continued to eat his food. "You gonna be saving a dance for her?"

"Really?" Jennifer asked in disbelief, her mouth slowly spread into a delighted grin of a friend who had just found out a juicy secret. "You and Strauss?"

"Yeah," Emily responded instead of David, who had looked annoyed enough to have a reply wrangled out of him. "Been that way for awhile. I guess you missed it."

Jennifer stilled, and the smile instantly vanished from her face. Spencer winced, Emily wasn't petty, it must have meant she was even more upset than she appeared. Emily was straightforward, and dealt with problems as they came. She was head on, and she didn't play games. Spencer liked that about her, he knew he'd always know where he stood, and if he didn't stand well? Then Emily would probably confront him so they could fix it up.

Derek sensed the dangerous detour of mood, and despite the fact he seemed to have his own reservations about Jennifer, he tried to lighten it a bit. "Yeah, this idiot has been trying to tell us that they're in love." Derek started to make kissy noises, and David glared at him.

"Oh leave him alone," Penelope said and leaned across the table to whack Derek in the arm playfully. "Let the boy have his dreams."

"I wouldn't say Strauss is a dream," Emily said. "She's more of a nightmare."

"She's the thing kids fear is going to grab their ankle when they get out of bed at night," Derek continued.

"Oh, trust me, I didn't plan to have her UNDER my bed..." David trailed off, and winked at him. Derek made a gagging noise, and Emily threw down her fork.

"I can no longer eat," she declared.

"Ah, now, you see, this boy talk? This I didn't miss," Jennifer joked, in good nature. Penelope laughed, and David just waved a hand dismissively at her. But Emily? Emily just seemed more annoyed.

"Oh yes. I'm sure you're talks of new shoes, cute boys, and trust funds was much more enlightening," Emily mocked her cooly.

Jennifer glared slightly, and bit her bottom lip before she replied, "That's not what we talked about."

"Really? My bad. Never been invited to the cool table," Emily continued to talk in a tone of mockery. "Of course, if I got the invite, I would have rejected it."

"A lot of the girls I hang around are athletes," Jennifer reminded her, voice tight.

"Some of them are. Others are the girls that pulled the stunt on Tracy two years ago." Jennifer flinched at the mention of the event, Spencer stared around the table in confusion. "Or did you forget that?"

"That isn't relevant," Aaron cut in before a true argument could be formed between the girls. "Can we please try to stay on topic?"

"Oh Aaron," Penelope begun sympathetically, and the boy groaned. "You really need a good night of sleep, you're on edge."

"There are people dying, Penelope," David reminded her. "We're all on edge. Some more literally than others. Spencer, you're going to tip off your seat."

Spencer blinked, the remark took a moment register with him. He finally realized that, while he got sucked into observing those around him, he'd somehow managed to scoot right towards the edge of where he sat, about to tumble off.

"Sorry," he mumbled his unnecessary apology with embarrassment as he rearranged himself.

"Kid didn't sleep well," Derek informed the table, Spencer glared at him in betrayal. "Was tossing and turning so much I couldn't even sleep."

"The beds here are awful," Jennifer said sympathetically. "You'd think with all the money they get that they'd put it to use."

"I'd much rather they use it to buy Mason a snow blower," Spencer replied. At the confused look he received from Jennifer, he rushed to explain, "He's the groundskeeper. They don't give him a snow blower."

Jennifer smiled at him kindly. "That's sweet, Spence."

Spencer blinked in surprise, and nearly dropped his fork. It wasn't nearly as startling as the nickname Derek had given to him, but still... "No one has ever called me that before," he blurted out.

Jennifer blinked in surprise. "Is it not okay?" She inquired.

"No! It's fine! I've just never heard it before. I like it!" Spencer rushed to assure her, a small smile formed on his face. Before he'd come to boarding school, he'd never had a nickname before. Well, not a kind one, anyway.

"Well, alright then, Spence," Jennifer said with another one of her kind smiles. Spencer smiled awkwardly, and bashfully, in return. He'd nearly missed Emily roll her eyes.

"So, what about tonight?" David directed it back to the original topic. "Do we think anything is going to happen."

"Well, how about this, instead of you spiking the punch, you watch over it instead?" Emily suggested sarcastically.

David grinned at her. "Can't I do both?" Emily groaned and banged her head up against her hand.

"We really need one of those dog training spray bottles for you," Penelope said with a grin. "I've always hated those. But for you? For you it just might work."

"So what? We're going to spray him every time he's a jerk?" Emily inquired. "He'll be soaking wet by the end of breakfast."

Spencer had expected for Aaron to cut in at any moment, and once again attempt to redirect their focus back to the problem at hand. But to Spencer's surprise, the boy stayed quiet. One look at him and it told Spencer why. Aaron had been casting a wanting stare across the dining hall at Haley. Spencer couldn't help the smirk that came over his face, if even he could spot the attraction, it must have been pretty obvious.

"Aw, isn't that cute." Apparently it was, since David seemed to take notice soon after Spencer had. Aaron blinked and refocused on the group he sat with, and then scowled as David's words finally registered. "Anyone ask Haley to go tonight?"

Aaron cleared his throat as he tried to piece together his dignity. "I don't know," he replied, he tried to keep as casual as humanly possible. The whole group smiled knowingly at him. "Probably."

"Awww," Jennifer crooned, Aaron glared at her. "It's so cute that you still like her." She smiled as though she knew something, and Aaron stared at her with confusion. "She doesn't have a date," she told him.

Aaron looked at her in shock, the rest of the group just continued to stare at him. He looked like a fish out of water, his mouth opening multiple times, his arms moved oddly as though he didn't quite know where to put them. "She doesn't?"

"She and her friends are going as a group," Jennifer explained, she wore a knowing smirk on her face. "But maybe if someone really cute asks her, she'd reconsider."

"...Are you two friends?" Aaron asked her, his voice shook a little bit. It was rather amusing, all of them were right about how head over heels Aaron was for Haley.

"We get along," Jennifer answered with a shrug. She poked at her food with disgust. "She's sweet. Working on the school production."

"Well, she has to be pretty amazing, she's able to distract Aaron from the mission at hand," Emily teased lightly. Aaron just continued to shift in discomfort, he cleared his throat every few seconds.

"51% of people said flattery is the best way to attract someone," Spencer advised him helpfully. Aaron actually seemed to pay attention to that, and nodded slightly.

"Yeah, but you also have to ask yourself if she is part of the 49% that doesn't think it is," David pointed out, fork pointed almost in an accusation in Spencer's direction.

"Don't overdo it with flattery," Jennifer told him. "Or you'll just seem creepy."

"I say wait until the dance tonight, man," Derek said to him. "Asking her now might make you seem like you're looking for a last minute date. Ask her for a dance tonight or something."

"The average amount of time to make a first impression on a woman is an hour," Spencer continued on with his facts. "53% of singles said they find a great smile the most attractive feature," he recalled.

"Heh, then you're screwed," David told Aaron. Penelope glared at him, and Derek laughed. Aaron just continued to shift around uncomfortably.

"Aww, don't say that," Penelope reprimanded David, and looked at Aaron sympathetically and kindly. "You have a great smile when you smile, Aaron. Just remember to do it a little bit more."

"But not too much," David cut in. "If you smile at everything she says you'll just look like a maniac."

"Can we please talk about the matter at hand?" Aaron squeaked out, his voice not his usual firmness. The whole table visibly had to withhold outbursts of laughter.

"Whoever is doing this knows the system well," Spencer was the first with the ability to speak, the others had their lips pursed together in an attempt to block out another burst of laughter as they looked at Aaron. "But a third public killing mirroring the first two? Even whoever is behind this has to know they're pushing it."

"Unless they're looking for a flashy exit," Emily countered. "Homecoming? Quite the way to go."

"But not the biggest," David reminded them. "If I was to get a flashy exit? I'd pick prom."

"Prom is quite a ways away," Derek said. His eyes still flashed over to Liam's table every once and awhile. "This guy has already killed three people."

"So what do we do tonight?" Emily asked, she looked utterly exhausted and done. Spencer couldn't blame her, it felt as though they were taking on the world. "Watch over the punch bowl and have eyes on Liam at all times?"

Aaron shrugged helplessly. "There's not much more we can do."

"We could still do the whole Emily is a ninja stalker thingy!" Penelope suggested, abnormally chipper to recommend such a mission.

Jennifer's eyes bulged, and she looked around the table in confusion. "What stalker thing?" She asked worriedly. She pointed at Spencer. "I thought he was following Liam around."

"We had a plan," Emily explained. "I was going to sneak around his room and search for evidence."

Jennifer raised an eyebrow at her, and then laughed a little bit. The whole table slightly glared at her as she brought a blue nail polished hand to her mouth to try to conceal it. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "But what would you be looking for? A bottle with a skull on the label? Even then, if you gave it to Strauss why should she believe you that it wasn't yours?"

"We'd work that part out when we came to it," Emily snapped at her, unamused. "Believe it or not but when bodies are dropping some people tend to get a bit desperate." She continued to glare at her, dark eyes narrowed. "It's almost twice as stupid to assume that we're just going to catch him pouring cyanide into someone's drink."

Jennifer opened and closed her mouth multiple times, pink lips ended up getting tugged in between pearly white teeth as she attempted to formulate a response. Penelope looked at Emily, Spencer would have assumed it to be in anger, but that hadn't seemed to be Penelope's style. She almost looked hurt.

"He won't be gone today," Spencer informed the group. "Scarlett signed them up to help decorate for homecoming."

"You didn't think to mention this before?" David asked him.

"I just found out yesterday," Spencer admitted sheepishly, he sometimes had felt like for a genius he was an absolute fool. He never seemed to mention the things that the group actually wanted to hear. He hated disappointing people, he felt as though he were meant to succeed at everything, and anything less was failure. "I...I guess it slipped my mind. There's been so much going on and it just didn't seem like a big deal at the time, and yesterday was just...weird for me, I don't know why! I'm really sorry! I was trying to figure out what to do about it, too. You have to put your names on those things to be able to help with it, and I hadn't known beforehand so I couldn't put my name down. It was really stupid! It just-."

"Spencer!" Aaron cut him off loudly, even some kids from other tables turned to look at them, mouths full. Aaron lowered his voice considerably once Spencer stopped his rant and had given him his attention, eyes still showed internal panic. "It's okay, no one is angry."

"Great, so he's helping set up homecoming," Emily groaned, she ran her hand through the top of her hair, it smoothed down some of the more rebellious strands. "This doesn't look good."

"Unless he does something to the entire punch bowl, I don't see what he could possibly do before homecoming starts," David reasoned with them.

"Are you on the homecoming committee?" Aaron inquired of Jennifer, since she was the one person he hadn't the knowledge of. She shook her head helplessly in the negative.

"I don't think he's going to poison everyone," Spencer said earnestly. "It wouldn't fit. Whoever this is has a bigger plan, poisoning everyone wouldn't add up with the other actions."

"We'll all just have to keep our eyes open," Aaron told them, he looked as helpless as the rest felt. "There's nothing else in our power to do."

"How are we handling homecoming anyway?" Jennifer inquired, she still poked at her untouched meal. It must have grown cold by that point. "Are we going in a group?"

Penelope whipped her head around, blonde locks nearly hit Emily right in her face. Penelope's mouth was opened in a surprise 'o', but they slowly formed into a hopeful smile. "We?" She inquired.

"Yeah," Jennifer said and looked around the table. "We're all going together, right?"

"You're coming with us?" David asked.

"Well, my so called friends originally planned to go in a group. But, as it turns out, the lure of handsome young men that offered themselves to them was just too much. So I'm the only one dateless," Jennifer explained.

"Ah," Emily said. "So we're plan B."

"No," Jennifer denied."Trust me, I'd much rather go with you guys. You're always much more fun at parties." She smirked at Aaron. "I mean, Aaron, you used to be the life of them."

"Can someone please explain to me what that means?" Spencer whined.

"Life of the party?" Derek asked.

"No! Why he used to be it!" Spencer pointed his thumb in Aaron's direction, lips pulled down into a pout.

"Never," Aaron told him firmly. Spencer made a little disappointed noise.

Jennifer smirked as she looked between them, Aaron had since looked away, and she then leaned across to Spencer and whispered, "I'll tell you later."

Spencer's surprise faded, and he just looked at her happily. His face split into a big grin, and she just continued to smile at him, and then winked as she leaned back. No one had noticed what she'd said to him, as they were all too busy teasing Aaron. Spencer hoped she hadn't just been playing him, and that she was honest about it.

Because the suspense was killing him.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Well, well, well," Mason laughed joyfully as Spencer approached him. His face wore a large grin, and he wiped his brow with his glove, which smeared dirt on his forehead. His eyes were large and delighted. "Has someone come to get their hands dirty?"

"I have no plans!" Spencer told him happily as he raced the rest of the way through the soaked grass to Mason. The grass splashed flecks of water and dirt on his pants, but he didn't care. He was going to get dirty anyway. "Not that you're my plan B, but what I mean is...well...I just...I'm happy to be out here!"

Mason laughed again, head thrown back, and shook his head as he looked up and into the clouds. The sun fought to cut through, its light dimmed temporarily. "I'm happy you're out here," he said to Spencer, and gave the wet grass beside him a pat. "Come join me as I attempt to save the garden."

"It's starting to get really cold," Spencer said sadly as he kneeled on the grass, the wet soaked through his pants. "Do you think they'll last much longer?"

"I'll fight to see that they do," Mason replied. "Ah, Spencer, without my gardens I'm sure to grow bored," Mason told him, voice filled with sorrow.

Spencer frowned, he put on the extra pair of gloves once Mason handed them to him. He smiled softly at the rough feel as he put them on his palms. "I can try to help with other things, too," he told Mason. "I just...I don't know if I'll be good at it."

"Ah, the main thing is that you don't give up on it," Mason advised him. "You can be terrible at something, but if you work for it? If you truly want it? You can grow to be incredible at it."

Spencer smiled fondly at him. "That's what I tried to tell Liam," he said.

"How have things been going with that young man?" Mason asked, his voice carried a note that showed Spencer that there was much more meaning to the question.

"Slow and steady," Spencer replied.

"Ah," Mason responded. "That does win the race."

"Yeah," Spencer said, he bit his lip and rolled some of the soil in the palm of the rough gloves. "I guess it does...hey, Mason?"

"Yes?"

"Does anything ever help you sleep?" Spencer inquired. At Mason's blank look, he went on to explain, "You said you have insomnia...and...well...lately I can't sleep. I can barely close my eyes."

"Your eidetic memory is quite the burden, is it not?" Mason asked him sympathetically. At Spencer's sad little nod, he sighed and removed his gloves, and proceeded put a coarse palm on the young boy's shoulder. "The day you're able to close your eyes and images of the past do not bombard your soul with untold horrors, is the day you should worry."

Spencer sniffled slightly, as his eyes started to grow as wet as the grass the leaked through the material of his khakis to touch the skin of his knees. He nodded his head in understanding, but it didn't help settle the emotions that twisted around inside of him. "But what if the horrors grow too much?"

Mason removed his hand from his shoulder, and briefly ran it over his face, the ridges scratched at it slightly. He then just let it drop to his side. "Spencer, I know what it is like to have emotions eat away at you. Tear at your soul. Make you feel as though you're drowning just beneath the surface as someone hugs at your ankles, making it so you just can't reach the air. I know. Believe me, I know. The day that grows too much? You find a way to handle it."

"Is this your way to handle it?" Spencer inquired. At Mason's perplexed expression, he elaborated, "The garden."

"Yes, Spencer," Mason answered. "The garden."

"Then it must be even sadder when the weather turns so cold," Spencer said.

"It is," Mason agreed sadly. "Indeed, Spencer, it is."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Do I look fabulous?" Penelope asked as she did a spin, the pink tutu of her homecoming dress fanned out with the air. She'd gotten the pink bedazzled one she'd tried on that day in the mall. Her hair was pulled up into a gorgeous updo, her glasses were large pink cat eyes, she had bedazzled heels, and her eye makeup sparkled. "Or do I look fabulous?" She asked as she stopped her spin on the toes of her heels, and struck a dramatic pose.

"Babygirl, if you looked any more beautiful they would have to make a religion to worship you," Derek told her as he stood up off his bed and walked over to kiss her brightly colored cheek.

"Mmm, my beautiful sweet treat," she purred and ran a well manicured hand down his face. "People should already bow down before me."

"With pleasure, mama," Derek purred back.

"Well, I'm going to be sick," Emily announced as she entered the room. David whistled low. She looked stunning. She was in the dress she'd picked out with Penelope, and had a silver necklace that hung on her neck, silver earrings, black kitten heels, and her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail.

"Oh, my dear Emily," Penelope said as she walked towards her, her heels clacked on the hardwood, and she reached to grab one of Emily's hand. "How are men not throwing themselves at our feet?"

"Because they know we'd walk all over them," Emily replied.

"It would be their honor," Penelope shot back, and they both laughed.

Spencer looked at Aaron, who had set beside him on Spencer's bed. They were both dressed up, and watched the scene. "I don't get it," Spencer said to him desperately.

Aaron looked at him, smirked, and gave him a pat on the back.

David opened the door when another knock sounded on it, and Jennifer entered. She smiled at everyone. She wore a sapphire dress that rest just above her knees. It poofed out just a little bit at the bottom, not quite as extreme as Penelope's own, and cinched in at the waist, there was a design on the back of it, a little bit of embellishment on the straps, and she wore shoes that glistened in the light. Her hair was pulled back still, and her makeup was done in a way that no longer made her look tired. She looked beautiful.

"Okay, we're officially going to ruin homecoming for every other girl there," Penelope stated as she looked at Jennifer.

"You two look amazing," Jennifer said as she walked forward and accepted a hug from Penelope. Emily just stared at her, and gave her a strained smile. At least it was an effort.

"Okay, ladies," Derek said, he smiled at the scene. "I'm afraid you won't be able to go to homecoming. There is way too much gorgeous between the three of you."

"The four of you aren't half bad," Penelope returned with another sly grin as she released Jennifer. She then looked at Spencer, and proceeded to look as though she just saw a cute little puppy. "Look at how cute Spencer looks!"

"Yeah, mama," Derek started as he looked at Spencer, who had groaned and hung his head. He'd gel'd back his hair, so it didn't fall in his face that time. "I'm sure that is just what the kid was going for."

"You look great, Spence," Jennifer assured him. Spencer raised his head hesitantly, and when he saw she wasn't mocking him, he beamed at her.

"Aww, he's going to have all the girls all over him by prom," David jokingly cooed. Spencer glared at him through the large lenses of his glasses.

"Don't sell the kid short, I say they'll be all over him by winter formal," Derek countered.

Spencer looked at Aaron in confusion. "I can't tell if they're mocking me or not."

"Just ignore them," Aaron advised him. "It always works for me."

Derek rolled his eyes and approached Spencer's bed, he stuck his hand out. "Come on, pretty boy, we have the great responsibility of escorting these gorgeous ladies to homecoming."

Spencer allowed himself to be tugged up by his wrist, and awkwardly stumbled to his feet like a newborn fawn. Derek stuck his hand out, and Spencer saw his life flash before his eyes as the man brought it towards his hair.

"NO!" He screeched and bat the hand away, hard. Derek looked at him in surprise, and Spencer glared at him. "It took me thirty-three minutes and twenty-four seconds to get my hair like this! You're not ruining it!"

Derek's hand was still frozen right above the slicked back strands over Spencer's hair, his body perfectly still, until a rumble was heard and he started to laugh heartily. He let his hand fall on Spencer's shoulder, and shook the boy lovingly. "Whatever, kid, let's get going."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"I've never been to one of these," Spencer informed Emily as the group walked together into the gymnasium turned homecoming dance room. The lights were a little too dim, and they had this corny disco ball thing. "It's dark and loud."

"Not to mention crowded," Emily agreed, she had to talk loudly over the music. "I hate these things. Sweaty, loud, crowded, and the music always sucks."

"Way to stay optimistic, Em," Derek joked, and gave the brunette a pat on her exposed shoulder. "Unlike you, I love things like this."

"Well, getting hot, sweaty, and rubbing up against people you barely know is one of your favorite past-times," Emily pointed out dryly.

Derek grinned and winked. "Exactly."

Derek started to walk into the crowd of people, and Spencer whimpered anxiously as he looked up at Emily with large fearful eyes. "Are we all going to split up?" He inquired woefully.

Emily smiled softly at him. "No," she denied. "Derek's probably either going to grab some punch, or to go grind up against a girl for a few minutes. Don't worry, one of us will be with you at all times."

"Good," Spencer said with relief. "I don't do well with crowds of people."

"Yeah, I kind of predicted that," Emily replied. It wasn't said cruelly, in fact, it was said with a smile.

Penelope and Jennifer ran to dance, hand in hand, while Aaron and David reluctantly followed. "Shouldn't we all be searching for Liam?" Spencer asked, he leaned in closely to Emily so no one could overhear.

"They probably are keeping an eye out," Emily replied. She then placed a gentle hand on Spencer's bicep. "Come on." She nudged her head to the side. "Let's go find somewhere quiet for when they get tired of bumping and grinding."

"I thought people didn't even dance at these things," Spencer said as he followed her around. "I knew someone who said everyone just stands around and talks."

"Sadly our group of friends aren't that pleasant," Emily replied. They walked to a corner wall and stood there, they leaned against it and watched the scene unfold.

"Pretty lame, isn't it?" Emily asked. "I've always hated these things. But Penelope loves them, and she'd be heartbroken if I didn't come."

"It's not my type of thing," Spencer answered, he had to yell over the music. "You can barely talk in here!"

"I bet clubs are more fun than this," Emily told him. "At least at clubs you can drink!"

Spencer just shrugged, he was pretty certain he wouldn't like clubs all that much, either.

Spencer liked peace and quiet. He liked to sit and read a book, ponder his day, and enjoy the silence. He enjoyed the company he'd earned that year, but no matter what, he was pretty sure dances would never be his thing. The music gave him a migraine, the odd lighting added to it, and he was in formal wear with the room making him sweat. Not to mention the fact he hadn't a clue how to dance.

"Hey! Over there!" Emily whacked him in the arm and pointed across from them where Liam stood with Scarlett. Scarlett was in a red homecoming dress, and her fiery hair was pulled up highly, she watched the dance floor in disgust and whispered to Liam. "She is so pretentious."

Spencer looked at Emily with surprise. "Not very fond of her, myself."

"She's mean to everyone," Emily explained. She had leaned close to Spencer, even though she had to have been nearing certainty that they couldn't hear her from across the room with all the noise going on. "Don't trust her. Not even for a second."

"Did she do something to you?" Spencer inquired.

"They've done something to all of us," Emily replied cryptically.

They were both silent for a little while, even as the songs switched not a word was said. It wasn't uncomfortable for Spencer, not really. He simply was thankful for the fact that he wasn't left alone to stand in the corner of the crowded room.

When he looked back at Emily, he noticed she wasn't looking at Liam, but instead at the dance floor where Jennifer, Penelope, Aaron, David, and Derek were dancing. Penelope had probably forced them all to make this silly little circle, and they all danced rather ridiculous, but it looked fun. Emily seemed to be particularly observing Jennifer.

"Are you upset she came back?" Spencer inquired. Emily blinked in surprise and tore her eyes away from the scene to look at Spencer in confusion. "Jennifer," he explained.

Emily continued to look at Spencer in surprise, and then her eyes darted from the group dancing back to him. She looked as though she were contemplating her words thoroughly. Spencer just waited, he'd learned it was better not to force people to talk, they'd tell you things in their own time.

"More like I'm pissed she left in the first place," Emily replied honestly. "Don't you just love how she left and only comes back when she needs something?"

Spencer frowned, he could see why Emily viewed it that way. He hadn't been around when the whole group had been friends with her, so he hadn't a clue how the former interactions used to go. "I don't know why she'd ever stop hanging are you guys," Spencer told her. "You guys are great."

Emily laughed at that, and looked at Spencer, as though to see if he were kidding. "Well, I guess you're right," she agreed with amusement. "We are great." She lightly tapped his shoulder. "So are you."

Spencer looked at the ground, and kicked his feet against it slightly. He was pretty sure he would have heard a squeak if the music weren't so loud. "I don't think she would have come with you guys tonight if she didn't want to be friends."

Emily scoffed. "She came with us because she had no other option."

"She lied," Spencer informed her. Emily looked at him with confusion once more. "Only two of the girls she hangs around with have dates, the others are in a group. She could have gone with them, but she didn't want to."

Emily looked over at the group of Jennifer's friends. They weren't dancing, they were all standing in another corner, they whispered to each other fervently and looked at Jennifer.

"I don't think you're mad at her," Spencer explained softly. Emily stared at him, taken aback. Spencer always found it amusing how when she was surprised her mouth hung open slightly, and her eyes went wide. She always tried to appear stone-faced when faced with those situations, but she never quite succeeded. "I think you're hurt. But it's a lot easier to be angry than it is to be hurt."

"You speak with experience," Emily observed.

Spencer had felt surprised, he hadn't expected that as a response. Part of him knew it was almost deflection. Emily didn't want to talk about herself, so she moved the topic onto himself. But it hadn't thrown him off any less with that knowledge.

Spencer shrugged his shoulders, and glanced at the bright lights that had begun to strobe through the room. It hurt his vision, sent pangs that ripped through his head and made him dizzy. "Being angry doesn't make the pain go away. The more anger you build up, the more it rips you to shreds. The only way to get rid of your pain is to feel it."

"Or confront it," Emily added, her eyes still stared at Jennifer.

"Or confront it," Spencer confirmed. "You're not a petty person, Emily, and you're not mean or angry. Don't start acting like it."

"You've only known me for a month. How could you possibly know any of that is true?"

"Exactly. I've known you for only a month, and even I know this," Spencer said with a smile. Emily laughed. "You should talk to her."

"I'll think about," Emily assured him. "Hey, Spencer?" He hummed, though unsure if it could be heard. "You ever felt like you sometimes have to act like someone else just to deal?"

"Yes, but I can't," he replied. "I've tried before, but the only person I can truly be is myself."

"That's a good thing," Emily told him. He looked at her in confusion, and she explained, "You're a good guy. Don't ever try to be anyone else."

"I won't," he promised her softly. He felt a warmth spread through his middle. He'd never been well liked for being who he was. He was different. Talked too much at all the wrong times, and was quiet when something needed to be said. Spencer spent most of his young life feeling like a freak. To be told to be himself? It meant more to him than Emily would ever know.

"Good," Emily said. She looked around the room, her eyes drifted to Liam and then back to the dance floor. She laughed. "You know what? Screw it." Her warm palm gripped Spencer's own and she begun to drag him towards the dance floor. "We can see him from over here."

"What?! I don't know how to dance!" Spencer cried out, and put up feeble resistance.

"You'll learn," Emily answered as she tugged Spencer all the way over to their group of friends. They all made room, and Penelope cried out in delight. Derek grinned widely at Spencer and gave him a sympathetic pat on the back.

It was sweaty, loud, and people kept bumping into them. Spencer hadn't a clue how to dance, so he attempted to mirror some of what Derek did, and failed miserably. Penelope had observed his troubles, and found the solution was to dance as ridiculously as possible so Spencer didn't feel bad. She waved her arms like a maniac, and did some of the most ridiculous things Spencer had ever seen a human being do. To make matters worse? The whole group had followed suit, and they were automatically the most ludicrous group on the dance floor.

The worst part of it? He actually had fun.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"So, Spencer," Derek tossed an arm around the smaller boy's shoulders. Sweat glistened on his skin, and his breath was slightly labored. "What do you think so far?"

"I'm sweaty and tired," Spencer whined.

"Ah yes," David chimed in, grin spread on his face. "I've felt that way many times before."

Penelope whacked him on the shoulder blade. "Don't be so pervy!"

"When does this thing end?" Spencer inquired. The one time he hadn't read up on a subject, and it had come back to bite him. He'd never been to a homecoming dance before, it seemed like it would be similar to lining a pig up to the slaughterhouse, nor had he ever danced with a group of people...or...well...danced ever.

"Not for a little while longer," Derek told him loudly over the music. Spencer whimpered, he knew he'd be near deaf the next day. "Relax, genius. We'll get some punch and chill for a bit."

"You so sure about the punch thing?" David asked, he eyed the bowl suspiciously.

"Man, there's no way he poisoned the whole punch bowl. Everyone would be dead by now," Derek replied. They all approached the bowl, and Jennifer was the first to pour herself a cup into one of the pathetic sized glasses that would take about ten to actually hydrate someone.

"Oh man, look at Katie, Derek," David told him and whacked the other boy in the arm as he pointed towards the dance floor. Everyone looked along with him, and Jennifer sat her cup down on the punch table for a minute to stare. Katie Stevens, the girl Derek had taken to homecoming sophomore year, was giving him the evil-eye as she grinded against one of the other football players. When she saw she'd gained Derek's attention, a pleased smirk spread on her lips, and she flipped her gaze away from him with a toss of the air, and continued to grind. Derek laughed.

"Man, chicks just don't let things go," Derek said as he laughed.

"Well you did have sex with her and break up with her a month later," Emily reminded him. He looked at her in surprise for her remark. "Kind of ashamed to even know you for that one."

"It wasn't anything serious! It was casual," Derek justified as he continued to watch the brunnette dance with her more than accommodating partner. "But I obviously left an impression."

"Yeah, you left an impression all right; right on her neck, you jerk," David reminded him. Derek laughed and shook his head.

"Oh, that was awful," Penelope said sympathetically, as she also watched Katie. "She was forced to remove that scarf in the middle of class." She whacked Derek on the chest. "I thought you more of a gentleman."

"Babygirl, I am," he assured her. "She bit first!"

"I really don't need to know the details of this," Emily said, both hands held up, she looked as though the most sickening imagery possible had been shoved in her mind.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and turned back around, she reached for her cup.

"Hey, was anyone watching that?" Aaron asked her loudly, above the music. She frowned at him and shook her head.

"I only left it for a second-." Jennifer looked down at her glass, and her whole being froze as a hand shot up to cover her mouth. The whole group looked at her in concern, as her hand begun to tremor. Aaron was the first to act and shot forward before Jennifer's glass could slip from her slackened grip.

They all leaned forward to see what it was, and all their eyes widened. For what floated at the top of the glass of punch was a skull with two crossbones on it. The symbol of toxicity.

"I-I don't understand," Penelope said. No one paid any attention to them. They all danced, listened to the music, made out with their dates. No one knew the danger that surrounded them. No one knew that someone in that room was a killer. No one knew how in danger they really were.

"I don't get it. Wh-Why would anyone...why would they leave that in my glass if they wanted me to drink it?" Jennifer stuttered out. Her voice was almost washed away by the upbeat party music that they room was saturated in.

"They didn't want you to drink it," Aaron said. Everyone focused on him, it was as though the rest of the room grew silent, the music was washed away, as were the people. They were the only ones in the room at that moment. "This wasn't a murder attempt. This was a warning," Aaron said.

There was a long pause, as the reality of the situation became apparent to all of them. Spencer felt as though time had stood still. Every noise was officially drowned out, except an insanely loud ringing in his ears.

That all went away when Aaron spoke,

"They know."


	12. Chapter 12

The days that followed homecoming were rough, and provided little to no sleep for the group. Spencer's own birthday was to arrive, and he'd quite honestly forgotten all about it. Homecoming had started out enjoyable, fun, care-free, even. For a second they had almost all forgotten about their problems. For a second they were normal teenagers. But Liam's words seemed to pop back into Spencer's head...

"You take your eye off something for one second, and you lose."

~.~.~.~.~.

"Am I the next target?!" Jennifer had asked, Spencer could practically hear her heart pound in her chest. They stood in the hallway, so they could talk without the music. None of the other kids were around them, all too busy dancing, and laughing with friends. Derek had dumped the drink out, along with the skull and crossbones image. No one at the school would have taken it seriously if they were shown it. Not Erin Strauss, not Mateo Cruz, no one. They all would have taken it as a joke, or written it off as stupid childish play.

"I think we all are," Aaron replied, his voice didn't waver, but there was still fear hidden deep. The air around them felt thick, and he was sure they all felt as though there were a weight on their shoulders. "Whoever this is...Liam...or someone else, they know that we know."

"Are we all going to die?" Penelope asked. Wetness covered her eyes, it threatened to spill past. Her hands shook, and her lips tremored. The vision of the earlier, peppy, confidant girl, had appeared once more in Spencer's mind, and it made his chest ache.

"Of course not, babygirl," Derek assured her. He wrapped an arm around her and proceeded to place a sweet kiss into her blonde hair. "We're going to be fine. I'll make sure of it."

"So one of us goes next?" David asked, his own voice shook slightly. "That's nuts."

"Was the drink poisoned?" Jennifer asked.

"I highly doubt it," Spencer replied. "With the time it took them to put the image of the skull and crossbones on the drink, I doubt they took the time prior to poison it." He looked at them anxiously, and then his eyes landed on Derek. "But just in case, please tell me you didn't get any on your skin."

"No," Derek replied. "I'm positive. I dumped it out in the toilets in the bathroom. Didn't spill a drop anywhere." He gave Spencer a look. "I read about things, too, pretty boy."

Spencer nodded, and tried to uphold a calm exterior; but it was proving difficult. His insides twisted, and he felt bile crawl its way up his throat. He was petrified. Whoever it was knew that they knew the true nature of the killings. If it was Liam, Spencer wondered what had he done wrong?

"It's my fault," he said, voice choked and his throat felt constricted. "I must have done something wrong."

"Spence." Jennifer surprised him by being the first to approach him. She gently placed a caring hand on his shoulder, it shook slightly. "It's not your fault, okay? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I...I thought everything through," Spencer said to them, more to comfort himself. His voice still shook, as did his form. He no longer felt overwhelming heat on his skin, but instead an icy coolness that ran straight to his bone. "I didn't think I messed up..."

"You didn't," Jennifer assured him. "This was bound to happen. I mean, we're talking about people being poisoned in the middle of the dining hall! Anyone could have heard."

"Spencer, you didn't do anything wrong," Aaron said. His hand hovered of the younger boy's back, not quite making contact, but Spencer could feel the heat that radiated off of it. It collided with the ice cold chill of his body and made his shivering increase ten fold.

"Maybe we should get out of here," Derek suggested. "Not sure if it's safe for us to stay." He still had his arm wrapped around Penelope, and her head rest on his chest.

"I-I don't think I'll be able to sleep," Penelope stuttered out. She continued to shake up against Derek's firm chest, and one of her hands clasped the material of his jacket desperately. It broke Spencer's heart once more, Penelope just wanted one night where she wouldn't have to worry about the whole thing, and it had been ruined.

"Just try, sweetness," Derek said to her softly. "Just try."

~.~.~.~.~.~.

By the time of the next morning, Spencer had only gotten thirty minutes of sleep. The chronic dark circles under his eyes impossibly darkened, and with the mix of his pale white skin he looked as though he should be the star of a zombie horror movie. Derek immediately gave him a look of concern, and pity, when he stumbled out of his bed on weak legs. He'd felt as though his whole body was supported by two toothpicks.

"You should get back in bed, kid," Derek told him tiredly as he got out of his own bed. He tossed the blankets and let them land in a crumpled mess. "You're not going to be able to focus."

"I'll be fine," Spencer argued; but his argument was ultimately unconvincing when a yawn slipped through his defences. "The record for the longest period of time without sleep is 18 days, 21 hours, and 40 minutes," Spencer informed them.

"I wouldn't set that as a life goal," Aaron replied as he got out of bed himself. He hadn't looked much better than Spencer, but his coordination was more in tact. "We can tell everyone you're sick."

"I'm fine," Spencer unintentionally snapped at them. "You guys need me."

"Kid, you need to rest," Derek said, obviously too tired for an honest argument.

"You guys can't stop me from going to breakfast," Spencer reminded them. He glared at them defiantly as he pulled open his dresser drawers. The mere force of the action almost had him stumbling backwards, but he quickly recovered. "I can go to breakfast if I want to," he continued, he pulled out his clothes, and attempted to push past his concerned roommates.

"Spencer." Aaron's voice had halted him before he was able to grasp the doorknob. "You have nothing to prove."

He ignored it and pushed the door open, anyway.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"We can't talk about it here anymore," Emily told them at breakfast. Her eyes cast a dark stare around in the dining hall. "It's not safe."

"He's sitting all the way over there," Derek replied, voice low as his eyes drifted over to Liam's table. "I doubt he can hear us."

"If it's him," Aaron corrected. Derek leveled him with a glare.

"Spencer, sweetie, you need more sleep," Penelope told him softly. She hadn't looked like one to talk, she looked nearly as exhausted as he did, and felt. She smiled at him softly, understandingly.

"I'm fine," he replied. His eyes dropped slightly as he focused on his egg, and his glasses nearly slipped off of his face when he jolted in attempt to wake up.

"Yeah, you seem fine," Emily said sarcastically.

"It's Sunday," Spencer reminded them. He lifted his piece of buttered toast with great effort. "We don't even have class on Sunday." He paused for a moment. "Besides, I'll be aware enough to notice any changes in Liam's behav-." He was shocked to be cut off by Derek.

"No way in hell," Derek snapped. Spencer looked at him, stunned, as did the rest of the table. Derek dropped his fork onto his plate, so it made a noisy clatter. "You're not going to be doing this secret agent mission anymore, Spencer. It's over. It was a stupid idea to begin with, and now, if it is Liam, then he knows that you know." Derek looked around the table. "Do you all really want to send him out with a murderer who knows Spencer knows he committed the crimes?"

"There was way too much 'knows' in there for me to follow," Emily joked. Derek just glared at her.

"Derek is right," Aaron said. "It's too dangerous."

"No it's not," Spencer argued. "This is the perfect time for me to continue this! He'll be off his game, his mood will switch, I'll be able to detect more changes than before!"

"No," Aaron replied firmly. His eyes showed that he would not waver on his decision. They were intense, and bore right into Spencer's own. "You're not going to keep hanging around them, Spencer."

"Then we're just going to let more people die then?" Spencer hissed. "I'm our only play, and you know it."

"That's not true," Aaron argued back at him. "We have other options. We'll work something else out. But I'm not sending you back out with him."

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, the fact he was insulted, or his inner terror, that made Spencer make his next move. "You can't control who I hang out with," he told Aaron, his eyes defiant and daring. "If I wanted to continue to hang around Liam's group, and see for myself if I can dig up anything, then you couldn't stop me."

He watched Aaron's face go from his usual stern strictness, to one of absolute surprise. The whole atmosphere of the table changed, and Spencer felt adrenaline pump through his veins.

"You need sleep, Spencer," was all Aaron said to him.

"Maybe I should go finish breakfast with them," Spencer said daringly. Aaron looked at him, almost in confusion, as did the rest of the table. "If you won't finish this, I'll do it myself."

"I never said I wouldn't finish this," Aaron snapped at him, he made sure to keep the volume of his voice down. "I'm saying there are other ways."

"Like what?" Spencer asked. "Penelope has traced his history back to the day of his birth, Aaron. I'm the only move we have left."

"He sent a warning to our whole group," Aaron hissed at him, he leaned over Derek, who sat in between the two of them. "Do you want to be the first one he takes out?"

"What are our other options, Aaron? Because you keep saying we have them, yet you haven't mentioned a single one," Spencer snapped at him, because of his anger his voice rose slightly in volume. "I'm not weak. I can do this."

"Nobody ever said you were weak," Aaron said, his voice almost seemed to soften, but the confusion in his eyes worsened.

"Spence," Jennifer whispered, and reached a hand across the table to lightly touch his arm. He flinched. "You have to lower your voice."

Spencer was about to say something else, possibly snap at her, but another, larger, hand touched his shoulder. "Kid," Derek spoke calmly. "How about this, you don't hang around with them today." When Spencer opened his mouth to reply, Derek held up his other hand. "Just let it rest for today, okay? We'll talk about it later."

"Today is the best day to do it," Spencer argued. "It's the day directly after."

"Spencer, take a look at yourself," David finally spoke up. "You're spent." When Spencer went to talk, he continued, "We all are. You're fifteen years old, Spencer. You're having your life threatened, we're all in danger, you're scared, you're tired, and you're in no condition to be of any use. Your perception is clouded, things that might be nothing will seem like everything."

"I've written a ten page essay without sleeping for two days," Spencer informed him. "I can do this."

"Were you scared for your life when writing the essay?" David inquired. At Spencer's silence, he continued, "Didn't think so."

"What on earth possessed you not to sleep for two days?" Penelope asked him. "That's bordering on dangerous."

"I had a lot going on," he replied dully. His Mother had been having terrible episodes, and his Father had gone away for a few days. He'd stayed up attempting to calm her. She'd been refusing medicine, said it made her feel worse. Made her brain foggy, her movements slow, even said it impaired her ability to take care of him.

"Spence," Jennifer spoke again, softly. Spencer still hadn't a clue of what to make of her. He hadn't known her for long, but she almost seemed as though she were fond of him. "I haven't slept well since I've got here, and I can honestly say I feel like the yolks of these eggs are staring me down," she joked. "We can all talk about this later, okay?"

Spencer paused, and then took another bite out of his toast, he frowned when crumbs went all down the front of him. "You guys do know you're not supposed to question a genius, right?"

"Yeah, genius, you're covered in bread crumbs," David replied, and tossed a balled up napkin at Spencer's head.

~.~.~.~.~.

"Mom?" Spencer asked. He walked hesitantly into his Mother's bedroom. The curtains were drawn shut, the room had nearly no light in it. There were books everywhere. Scattered all over the bed, they rest atop of the sleeping form of his Mother. One still held in her hand. He'd warned her not to read in the dark, but she rarely heeded his words. "Come on, Mom, you need to wake up."

He approached her bed and got a better look at her. Her long blonde hair was skewed out all around her, unkempt. She wore the same nightgown she'd been dressed in for four days, and her bones pressed up against her skin tightly, it stretched it thin. She was so pale, even more pale than himself. Diana Reid rarely had the energy to go outside, and when she did she slicked her skin with SPF. Her doctor continuously said how she needed more vitamin D, and told her if she wasn't going to go out in the sun she'd need to take pills for it. She never took them. Said the sun would hurt her more than it would help her, and that she didn't need the pills.

It was like her cheeks sunk in the closer he got to her, as though with every step she grew more and more malnourished. Spencer felt as though it were his fault, when it had come to that. Diana Reid often forgot to do basic things for herself, it was supposed to fall on him to make sure she even did them at all. William Reid never took the effort to do it himself, of course, he was rarely ever home.

"Mom, come on, you've got to get up. It's 1:00," he pleaded. Diana's eyelids started to crack open, but just as quickly as they did, they slid shut again. Spencer released a groan of frustration and stormed the rest of the way over to the bed, he nearly tripped over books as he walked. "Mom!" He cried out, and placed both hands on her shoulders to shake her. "Come on! You need to eat."

A groan emitted from Diana's lips, but nothing else. Spencer sighed in frustrated. "Come on! Your doctor says you have to get on a better schedule."

"You can't help me," Diana whispered. Spencer stared at her in confusion.

"Mom?" He asked.

"You could never help me, and you couldn't help them," came the hushed voice of Diana. Her eyes snapped open, accusation ran rampant in them. Spencer flinched back, and nearly tumbled backwards. "You couldn't help them, you just let them die."

"Mom?" He whimpered out again. He stumbled back, and that time he actually tripped over one of the books and collided onto the floor. It was weird, he mused, it didn't hurt.

"You revealed yourself, and now you're all going to die," she told him, her voice void of emotion, her eyes dead. Just like Kathryne's were. Cold, dead eyes that bore into his own, scarred his brain, made his mouth go dry, and his ears ring.

"Mom," he whimpered out the name once more. His eyes watered and burned, and his whole form shook as he looked at her up on the bed, her eyes vacant, no sign of Diana Reid remained. "Mom, please..."

"It's your fault," she continued. "You're weak, Spencer."

"I'm not weak!" He cried out woefully.

"You're weak," she went on, and Spencer cowered pitifully from the cruel face with no sign of his Mother visible. "You're weak, and because of you, wake up Spencer!" She shouted at him.

"Mom!"

"Wake up, Spencer!" She continued to shout. "Wake up, kid! You've got to wake up!"

"Mom!"

"SPENCER, WAKE UP!" Spencer's eyes flew open, and he gasped and pushed at the hands on his shoulders. "Kid, you okay?"

Spencer looked around the darkened room. It wasn't his Mother's bedroom, not by a long shot. It was still dark, the curtains drawn and he assumed the sun had barely even come up. Aaron was seated upright in bed, and Derek was seated on the side of Spencer's, hands held up to hover just above his shoulders as Spencer took in his surroundings, panicked.

"Spencer, calm down," Aaron spoke up, his voice groggy. He pushed his blankets off himself and got up, he stumbled across the room until he was able to locate the lightswitch and flick it on. The light made Spencer cover his eyes and release a small cry.

"My Mom..." He attempted to articulate, but the words got caught in his throat, along with the sob that bubbled up. "My fault," he managed to get out. "Said it was my fault."

"It was a dream, Spencer," Aaron said, he yawned soon after. He'd made his way across the room, until he plopped down beside Derek on Spencer's bed. Spencer closed his eyes, but the image of his Mother came back full force, and another strangled cry made its way through his lips.

"Kid, it was just a dream," Derek told him softly, if Spencer had been more conscious, he would have realized what a horrible awkward situation he was in. "Everything is alright."

"Are we still being pursued by a killer who is poisoning kids at this school?" Spencer asked, voice bleak. "Or did I dream that up, too?"

Days had passed since Aaron had last promised that they'd discuss Spencer's affiliation with Liam's group. So far? Barely anyone in their group had spoken, period. Everyone was too petrified to talk at breakfast, and no one showed up in Aaron's room, either. They were constantly looking over their shoulders, and Spencer was being forced to dodge Liam after all his classes. He'd been tempted to do what he said he'd do and go against the groups wishes to pursue Liam anyway, but found he didn't have it in him. Maybe deep down, he was just as petrified to by near him as the others were to let him near him.

"Kid, it's too early in the damn morning to be fearing for our lives," Derek joked. Spencer couldn't help but quirk his lips up slightly. "It's another hour until the alarm goes off, so how about you try to catch up on a little more sleep, huh? It's a big day."

Spencer frowned. "Why is it a big day?"

Derek looked at him in disbelief, as did Aaron. But they both quickly slipped into amusement. "You don't know what day it is, do you?" Aaron inquired.

"...Thursday?" Spencer guessed, still confused.

"Come on, eidetic memory," Derek said, still amused, he tapped his head. "Really think about it for a minute."

Spencer paused for a moment, his eyes shot up to the sky, contemplative. His bottom lip was hugged in between his teeth, and he scrunched up his brow. He was just about positive it was the second thursday of October. "I got nothing," he admitted.

"It's October 9th, genius," Derek informed him. "Happy Birthday."

Spencer's eyes widened comically, and Aaron looked as though he had to bite the inside of his cheek really hard to keep from laughing. Spencer smacked himself in the forehead. "I have an IQ of 187 and I forgot it was my birthday!" He cried out in dismay.

Derek laughed. "Hey, don't worry about it. Looks to me like you had a pretty tough night."

"I'm sixteen!" Spencer continued on in shock.

"At least you can still do math," Derek quipped. Spencer glowered at him, and Derek just cracked up again.

"Happy Birthday, Spencer," Aaron told him softly, Spencer smiled gratefully at him. Although, his friendship with Aaron had felt...strained since he'd stood up to him at breakfast that morning. It wasn't as though he had begun to dislike the older boy's company...he just hated how Aaron constantly seemed to be watching over his every move. As though Spencer were to make a fatal slip up at any given moment. "Derek is right, try to get some more sleep." He paused, and cocked his head to the side. "Unless...do you want to talk about it?"

Derek looked at Spencer expectantly, along with Aaron. Spencer just squirmed uncomfortably under their gaze. "Thanks for the happy birthday wishes," Spencer replied awkwardly, he then rolled over on his side, to face away from them. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Alright, kid," Derek was the first to reply, and gave him a smack on the shoulder. "Get some rest, babygirl is gonna be all over you."

Spencer snorted. "Oh God," he moaned. He heard the bed screech, and the two boys lifted themselves off of it. "Hey guys," he called out hesitantly.

"Yeah?" Aaron asked.

"Thanks for remembering," he said softly.

"No problem, kid," Derek replied softly. "Get some rest."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"LOOK AT THE SIXTEEN YEAR OLD!" Penelope squealed as Spencer approached their table for breakfast. She stood up, and rushed over to him as Spencer quickly set his food down on the table before Penelope pulled him into a tight hug. "You're growing up so fast!"

"...Penelope, you've only known me for a little over a month," Spencer pointed out. He wrapped his arms around the blonde, and hid his face in her hair when he saw that most of the dining hall was staring at them.

"WHEN YOU CAME HERE YOU WERE JUST A CATERPILLAR!" She announced loudly, most of the room was snickering by that point. "NOW YOU'RE A GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY!"

Spencer cast a look over to Derek, who stood beside the table with his own food, his body shook with witheld laughter. "Help me," Spencer mouthed out, his eyes pleaded with the older boy.

"Babygirl," Derek begun, but was cut off by someone unexpected.

"Miss Garcia," the cool voice of Erin Strauss made Penelope's arms freeze around Spencer's tiny form. She looked up hesitantly at the fellow blonde. "I understand this is a rather exciting day for Spencer, but I'm afraid I will have to ask you to halt the celebration momentarily. Especially since I feel you're bringing an uncomfortable amount of attention to him." Erin smiled slightly when Penelope slowly pulled away from Spencer, who gave her a tight smile. "Happy Birthday," Erin told him softly.

"Thank you, ma'am," Spencer replied.

Erin nodded her head efficiently, and then proceeded to walk away, her heels clacked loudly on the floor.

"Happy Birthday, Spence," Jennifer said to him, she stood up, but she gave a much shorter hug than Penelope had given him.

"Happy Birthday, Spencer," David greeted from his place at the table. "But if you don't mind, I'm going to skip the hug and just offer my happy birthday wishes from afar."

"That is a present in itself," Spencer replied to him as he sat down at the table.

"Not much of a birthday breakfast," Emily told him as she looked down at his undercooked egg, the white part ran everywhere. "This place doesn't know how to cook eggs for shit."

"Is that why you're only eating a bowl of cereal?" Spencer inquired.

"Mhm. Yesterday I was puking my guts out because of a bad breakfast sausage," Emily told him.

Penelope looked at her expectantly. "Don't you have something to say to Spencer?"

Jennifer grinned. "I think it got lost in the breakfast rant."

"Happy Birthday, Spencer," Emily told him sincerely. "Please don't catch salmonella."

"Thank you; and I actually think what you meant to say is for me to try to avoid salmonellosis, a type of food poisoning. You see, salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella enterica bacterium. There are many different kinds of these bacteria. Salmonella serotype Typhimurium and Salmonella serotype Enteritidis are the most common in the United States," Spencer corrected her.

"Thank you, Spencer," Emily said. "You know, just this morning I was thinking to myself that I didn't know enough about the various types of food poisoning."

"Can we not talk about poisoning?" Penelope pleaded under her breath. "Of any kind?"

"We agreed not to bring it up at breakfast," David reminded her.

Spencer rolled his eyes, as did Derek, and they both just ate and didn't say a word. Derek was probably the person most strongly against Spencer going back to Liam's group, but he also was a doer, sitting back and doing nothing wasn't in his nature. He'd begun to climb walls. Spencer considered not even fighting to get back into Liam's group, and just waiting for the whole group's "plan" to implode.

"Spencer, you like chocolate, right?"

"What? Yes."

"Great!"

~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had felt like a total fool as he kept dodging Liam. He had no idea how everyone expected him to do it casually. Every time the boy came up to him, Spencer had to pretty much scurry away. Subtlety wasn't exactly something he had been taught. For what it was worth, though, Liam hadn't seemed all that put off by Spencer's avoidance of him...which Spencer had to work out in his mind what that meant.

He'd wanted to explain to the rest of his friends how he didn't truly feel as though he were at risk. The target seemed to be sports players, and Spencer was more concerned about Derek, David, and Jennifer than himself. The killer was more likely to continue to kill those who fit his profile instead of straying away. Of course, Spencer had also thought the killer would keep with a schedule, and hadn't expected any warning. It seemed the killer had wanted to exceed their expectations.

Poison was a silent killer, something someone didn't see coming. You go to take a sip of your bottled water, you don't expect to collapse moments later dead on the grass. It was something shocking, something sudden. The fact they'd been giving a warning...he wasn't quite sure what it meant. If it was a warning of their pending deaths, or if it was a warning to stay away. It wasn't like they'd exactly been kind enough to leave a little note to float around in the glass.

Spencer sighed, the one good thing about being able to dodge Liam, was that he could help Mason with the gardening again. The man had seemed shocked on Monday when Spencer had approached him during free-time, and offered him a hesitant smile. Mason had immediately accepted Spencer's helping hand, and they worked in comfortable silence, like always. It filled Spencer with a different kind of joy, one that he hadn't been used to experiencing. It was a comfort in the work, a comfort in the silence, a comfort in the fact that with gardening, he actually felt as though he were able to save, or create, something.

"Spencer!" He froze in shock when he heard his name called through the halls. The taste of frosting was still on his lips, there had been cupcakes delivered to him midway through class. He had to admit, they were quite delicious. "Wait up!"

Spencer hesitantly turned around, he of course had instantly recognized Ella's voice. The girl hurtled down the hall towards him, and he momentarily felt dread, as though something horrible had happened.

By the time Ella reached him, she was nearing out of breath, and Spencer wondered if he should have at least attempted to meet her halfway. "Hey," she breathed out, and put her hands on her knees. She then straightened, and smiled at him. "Are you not coming to study with us?"

Spencer faltered, he hadn't a good excuse in the world for why he couldn't. "I...um...I'm helping in the gardens," he explained. It was a poor explanation, and Ella's eyes reflected her confusion, but it was the best he could do.

"Oh," she said, still taken aback. "Why?"

"I...um...made a promise?"

"Oh," she replied again, she then frowned slightly. "We miss you there, you know. Or, at least I do. My biology grade was probably really about to pick up. You know? I, um, I started to understand it better. I mean, we have to do dissection again soon, and I don't see how anything can help that, but like, you know?"

Spencer looked at her with pity, it had made him feel good to help Ella with her biology notes. "Can't Owen help you out with them while I'm not there?"

She smiled. "Owen is amazing, and all that. But he's...he hates biology," she said the latter part in a whisper, as though it were a huge secret. "Anyway, I mean, I'm not asking you to come back just to fix my notes...I just...were they mean?" She asked the last part suddenly.

Spencer took a moment to process what she'd just said. "Um, what? No. No one was mean. It's honestly just gardening."

"Oh. I see. I don't like gardening very much. Although, I hear it is therapeutic," Ella mused.

"It can be! There's such a thing as a therapeutic garden, they can be found in a variety of settings; such as hospitals, skilled nursing homes, assisted living residences, continuing care retirement communities, out-patient cancer centers, hospice residences, and all types of places," he explained. Ella nodded her head and offered him a strained smile as he went on, it was a kind effort on her part, really.

"Owen's Mom gardens," she told Spencer. "But she doesn't like me very much."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Spencer said honestly.

"It's alright, because Owen loves me, and that's all that matters." Ella sighed dreamily, and Spencer couldn't help but smile at her. "Did something happen at homecoming?" Ella suddenly asked him, and the smile vanished from Spencer's face. "You and your friend ran out of the room pretty fast."

"You saw that?" Spencer asked her in surprise. "I didn't even see you there!"

"Nobody sees me," Ella replied. "But I'm always there."

"Did you see anyone else there, before we left?" Spencer inquired.

"It was a crowded room, Spencer," Ella responded. "Everyone was everywhere, no one was one place." She seemed almost nervous, and ran a hand through her hair.

"Oh," was all Spencer could have thought to say. "Listen, until I can get back to help you study, something that sometimes helps with biology is to try to draw visual notes," Spencer advised her. "Like, to sketch some of them out. Sometimes some people have an easier time remembering a sketch of something than they do remembering just the words."

"I can't draw," she informed him. "Besides, my notes are always out of order."

"It can be confusing," Spencer told her sympathetically. Honestly, he'd never had a hard time with biology, but he had one kid at his old school who would nearly burst into tears with every class. "It's all memorization, alright? It's kind of like how you need to memorize math facts, it's just the names are longer."

"I'm not awful at math," Ella said hopefully.

"You're not awful at this, either. Not entirely grasping a subject is wholly different than being awful at it. Either way, do you plan on being a biologist?" Spencer inquired.

Ella shook her head. "No."

"You see? Just worry about doing the best you can to get a passing grade, this isn't your future career, so just do the best you can," Spencer advised her with a kind smile. Ella slowly returned it.

"You're nice, Spencer," Ella told him, and for some reason the small compliment seemed to lighten Spencer's mood considerably. "Oh! By the way! Happy Birthday!"

"Thank you! They brought me cupcakes!" Spencer said cheerfully.

Ella smiled. "They make good cupcakes! I think it's the way they do their frosting." She shrugged. "Anyway, I'll let you get to gardening. I hope it relaxes you."

"Thank you. Good luck with your notes!" Spencer turned away from her, and went to walk off, but Ella's voice halted him,

"Hey, Spencer?" He turned his head around to look at her. "You said biology is a broad field, right? Maybe I'll find a part of it I like."

Spencer nodded at her. "I'm sure you will."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

"Sixteen, huh?" Mason asked him. The air had grown much colder, and Spencer found himself unable to control his shivering. "Good age."

"I can legally get a driver's license," Spencer said. He hadn't seemed particularly excited about the topic. "Of course, I've been able to drive for awhile now."

"Ah, well, the government just isn't too kind to geniuses on that kind of thing, are they?" Mason inquired with amusement.

"No exceptions," Spencer replied, he then just wore a mask of indifference. "I suppose it's a good thing that they do that. Safety precautions and all that. Personally I find it rather suffocating."

"That's probably because you have the mind of a genius, but you're still stuck in high school," Mason suggested. "Everything piled on top just adds to the inconvenience."

"No kidding," Spencer agreed. "It has all turned so repetitive."

"They do that so children won't forget," Mason said.

"I have an eidetic memory," Spencer reminded him.

"Yes, well, you're one of the gifted ones," Mason replied with a wink. "Have pity on the less fortunate."

"They're not less fortunate," Spencer replied, his tone carried a hint of sadness to it. "They're normal."

"Define normal," Mason said.

"Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected," Spencer explained blankly. Mason let out a surprised laugh, and Spencer furrowed a brow at him.

"I didn't mean for you to take that demand literally," Mason said with amusement. "What I meant was, does normalcy truly exist? I've never actually met a normal person."

"I don't know if normal exists," Spencer admitted. "But I know weird does, and I'm weird."

"What's with all the self-deprecation?" Mason inquired. "You're much too young for a midlife crisis."

"Midlife generally occurs from ages 45 to 55. I'm sixteen. So that's doubtful," Spencer scoffed. He played with the soil, and took a grasp of it in his hand, and slowly released it back into the garden. "I don't know," he admitted. "I just sometimes am more aware than at other times of just how weird I am."

"The world needs odd people," Mason told him. "They make things interesting." He snorted. "Besides, you're a genius, you could at least try some other words for it."

Spencer frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Like instead of weird how about you use the word unique? Individual? One of a kind? Why does the word weird have to be something you use to insult yourself?" Mason inquired. Spencer shrugged and looked back at the soil. "You know, for awhile, I thought I was less than other people, too," Mason said. "But then I realized, I was just as good as anybody else. I knew it, and I decided one day I'd prove it to others, too."

"Did you?" Spencer inquired.

Mason laughed. "Myself is all that matters."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Spencer had been concerned when Derek hadn't come to get him after his football practice had ended. He'd bid farewell to Mason, and the man had actually given him a birthday hug. Spencer had rushed away from the gardens, and back to his dorm room. He needed a shower, he was covered in soil.

"Gross," one girl sneered when he walked past her. "Someone needs to spray you down with a hose."

"I'd prefer a shower, thanks," was his only reply as his pace quickened. A heat rushed to his cheeks as more people turned to stare at his mussed up appearance. It seemed more people were out than usual. He'd felt immense relief when he finally had reached his dorm room, but raised an eyebrow when Derek was there waiting for him with a change of clothes.

"Got these for you," he said, and stuck out the pile to him. "Happy Birthday," he joked.

"Could have at least wrapped it," Spencer replied, and rolled his eyes. His lips quirked upwards. "Want a hug for it?" He joked and stuck out his arms. Derek had apparently already showered, give his appearance.

"Yuck. Get the hell away from me, man, and take a shower," Derek ordered, and pushed Spencer's head as a joke. The younger boy chuckled, and made his way to the showers.

~.~.~.~.~

A freshly showered Spencer made his way back to his dorm room, and opened the door. He frowned at the fact the lights were all off, and then gasped when they were turned on, and everyone jumped out to scream: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"What is this?" He asked in surprise, but felt his lips upturn against his will, and his facial muscles move to form an expression of delight.

"It's a birthday!" Penelope explained. She rushed forward and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "I can now hug you to my heart's content, my pretty."

"Ah, screw it," Derek said after Penelope finally released Spencer's small form. "Get your skinny ass over here," he demanded. When Spencer approached him in confusion, he let out a gasp of surprise when Derek pulled him into a hug. "Happy Birthday, kid."

Spencer let out a yelp of shock when he was pulled away from Derek, and promptly smooched on both cheeks by David. "What are you doing?!" He cried out.

"Didn't you one time tell me it's safer to kiss than shake hands?" David joked as he pulled away from Spencer.

"I'll stick with just a nice pat on the shoulder, if you don't mind," Aaron said, and then, true to his word, gave Spencer a firm pat on the shoulder. "Happy Birthday."

Next was Jennifer, who Spencer had been surprised to see there. She pulled him into a tight hug. "Happy Birthday, Spence."

Emily also hugged him, and after that, Spencer was finally able to soak up the scene around him. He gasped in surprise, they must have set the whole thing up while he was gardening. The whole room was decorated. There were birthday hats on the dressers, presents around the room, and a Happy Birthday banner strung up on the wall. There were pictures of scientists taped to the walls, and famous authors, little things that Spencer had mentioned that he'd liked, but he hadn't thought anyone actually listened to.

But the thing that surprised him the most? The birthday cake that sat on the bedside table.

"Where did you get that?!" He asked in surprise.

"I made it!" Penelope revealed cheerfully. "It's chocolate!"

"How did you make that?" Spencer inquired.

"Yeah, I wasn't actually vomiting yesterday, I was the assistant baker," Emily revealed to him, she slowly grinned.

"Yeah, our lovely assistant baker managed to get us all covered in flour," Jennifer explained. Emily flipped her off, and Jennifer laughed. Spencer watched them both in surprise, it seemed as though Emily was slowly warming back up to Jennifer. When Spencer caught her gaze, she winked.

He knew it would still take time for the two of them to get back on friendly terms. When someone you care about hurts you, it's not something you often forget. It lives with you forever, and that person has to do every little thing possible to slowly make up for it. Jennifer hadn't rejoined the group for long, and Spencer knew Emily was wary of her intentions. But for one moment, it seemed Emily was willing to let it slide, and in that moment they cut up the cake. Ate. Spencer opened up gifts, and just near cried at all the thought they had put into them.

As the daylight steadily faded, and dinner was served to them on full stomachs, it had occurred to Spencer how his Father hadn't called. It stung, it hurt more than he thought it would have. But as the group surrounded him, joked around, loudly, horrifically, and humiliatingly sung him happy birthday in the middle of dinner, he thought maybe he'd let some things slide, too.


End file.
